COLUMBIA, S.C. — Johnson & Johnson’s new one-dose coronavirus vaccine could soon join others in the fight against the virus.
Trial data shows the shot is roughly 66% effective against moderate to severe symptoms and as much as 85% effective at stopping people from getting seriously ill.
Its predecessors, Moderna and Pfizer, each require two-dose shots and are said to be 94%-95% effective against the virus.
Health experts say the Johnson & Johnson shot has its benefits with easier storage, ease of distribution and an ability to limit the severity of the disease.
“I would say that any protection is better right now is certainly better than no protection,” Dr. Brannon Traxler with the State Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC) said Friday, “and certainly there are benefits to the one-dose vaccine when using those with some populations and just in terms of getting people, reaching the maximum amount of protection from a vaccine series as possible.”
Johnson & Johnson is expected to file for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) in early February with products available to ship immediately following authorization.
“DHEC will be watching to see if the Johnson & Johnson vaccine or any of the others in development get an Emergency Use Authorization,” Dr. Traxler said. “We'll be watching closely because the CDC advisory committee... would meet and provide guidance for whatever the newly authorized vaccine is, so I think it's really too early to say where we would intend to use it not knowing, having seen any data or knowing what recommendations might come out in terms of guidance for populations it's best used for."