In a press conference Tuesday, the Department of Health and Human Services revealed that the single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine is projected to be ready for widespread distribution by the second half of February.
“We project single-digit million number of doses available in the second half of February...Remember, this is a one-shot vaccine, so this means millions of individuals fully immunized,” said Doctor Slaoui, the U.S. co-leader of Operation Warp Speed.
On their website, Johnson & Johnson stated that they obtained key genetic information on COVID-19 last January, and through collaboration with government officials, legislative authorities and globally shared medical expertise, the company has been able to produce a coronavirus vaccine with unprecedented speed, the Daily Caller reports.
Johnson & Johnson is currently in phase three of its vaccine trials, during which the percentage of efficacy will be determined. In other words, this stage will show how effective the vaccine is in preventing the virus. They are hoping for levels similar to the other two available vaccines: Pfizer and Moderna.
Both are reporting efficacy rates higher than 90 percent.
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is the first single-dose vaccine that will be available to the public. As the two currently available vaccines are two-dose, this new vaccine will be a “game-changer” because it will not require a booster.
“We feel more and more confident that [a] readout of [Johnson & Johnson vaccine] efficacy will take place during the month of January, and very likely that an [emergency use authorization] submission will take place during the month of January.”
