FDA Says Johnson & Johnson's Single-Shot Vaccine is Safe - Will You Take It?

What's the story?

• The FDA announced today that its review of Johnson & Johnson's single-shot vaccine has found it safe and effective.
• Clinical trials indicate that the J&J vaccine is equally effective against the U.S., South Africa, and Brazil COVID-19 strains; however, it provides less overall protection against the South Africa and Brazil strains.
• An external expert committee will meet on Friday, February 26, to make a recommendation as to whether the FDA should authorize J&J's vaccine for use in the U.S.

How does J&J's vaccine stack up against Pfizer's and Moderna's vaccines?

• Compared to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, the J&J vaccine is easier to transport. While the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines must be stored at ultracold temperatures, the J&J vaccine can be stored at normal refrigeration temperatures.
• The J&J vaccine is less effective than the Moderna and Pfizer vaccines, which boast 95% efficacy versus the J&J vaccine's 72% efficacy in the U.S. and 64% efficacy in South Africa.
• Compared to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, the J&J vaccine seems to have milder side effects; no severe allergic reactions have been reported in the 45,000-person clinical trial.

How many doses are available in the U.S.?

• J&J says it has over four million doses available upon the vaccine's approval. This is far below the 12 million it originally pledged to give the U.S. federal government by the end of February.
• An additional 20 million doses could be delivered by late March. This is 17 million fewer doses than originally planned in J&J's federal contract.
• 100 million doses could be delivered by the end of June, which would fulfill J&J's full obligation to the U.S. federal government

Which countries have ordered the J&J vaccine?

• The EU has ordered 200 million doses, with delivery beginning in early April.
• The U.K. has ordered 30 million doses.
• Canada has ordered 38 million doses.
• A global pooled procurement initiative, Covax, has ordered 500 million doses to be delivered through 2022

Sound off in the comments: would you prefer the one-shot J&J vaccine or one of the two-shot vaccines already being distributed across the U.S.?

—Lorelei Yang