The Johnson & Johnson single-shot coronavirus vaccine can actually be two doses, the Biden administration said.
The vaccine, which was recently sent to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for approval, was considered one of the most effective ways to help increase supply and bring President Joe Biden closer to its goal of 150 millions of fires in the first 100 days of his term.
J&J is currently about to produce 100 million doses of its unique vaccine, but is trying to find a way to upgrade the immunization to the variants.
However, during a Washington Post Live eventAndy Slavitt, a senior White House adviser on the COVID-19 response, says the company is currently testing the effectiveness of its photography with a booster.
“Johnson & Johnson is currently evaluating how the vaccine works for them in two doses, in other words, with their own booster,” said host Jonathan Capehart, a columnist for the newspaper’s op-ed section.
Pending the results, waiting for what the FDA has to say – if the vaccine is approved in the first place – there could be a second hit by Johnson & Johnson.
The news raises concerns that the US may not be able to immunize the population enough before the more contagious variants in the UK and South Africa become dominant in the US.
Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot coronavirus vaccine could actually be two doses, Andy Slavitt, the White House chief adviser on the COVID-19 response, said Thursday. Pictured: J&J vaccine vials against COVID-19 seen at Klerksdorp Hospital in South Africa, February 18
Slavitt (pictured) told The Washington Post Live that J&J is testing the effectiveness of his vaccine with a booster and that a single shot can become two.
One blow was considered one of the most effective ways to help President Biden’s goal of 150 million doses in 100 days. The US currently vaccinates between 1.6 and 1.7 million people a day
The J&J vaccine proved to be a 66 percent infection prevention rate in its comprehensive global study, but only 57 percent effective on testing in South Africa.
It is unclear whether this will delay FDA approval of the emergency use inoculation.
If regulators approve the vaccine, it would be the third vaccine made available to the US public after the vaccines from Pfizer Inc / BioNTech SE and Moderna Inc were approved in December.
Unlike the two vaccines currently authorized by Pfizer and Moderna, J&Js should not be transported frozen.
It also does not use a new mRNA technology, but rather combines the genetic material of the new virus with the genes of the adenovirus – which causes the common cold – to induce an immune response.
It is the same technology that the company used to make an experimental Ebola vaccine for people in the Democratic Republic of Congo at the end of 2019.
Currently, 40.2 million Americans – 12.2% of the population – have received a single dose and 15.4 million – 4.6% of the population – are completely immunized
Slavitt says states have gone from using 46% of their vaccination to 75% since Biden took office on Jan. 20
Following the implementation of J&J, regulators will need time to analyze the data and an advisory committee will have to meet.
Last month, Dr. Paul Stoffels, J&J’s chief scientific officer, said J&J was about to launch the vaccine in March.
It remains unclear whether this recent Slavitt revelation will make the launch.
The US has an agreement to buy 100 million doses of J&J vaccine for $ 1 billion and the option to purchase another 200 million doses.
On Thursday, Dr. Fauci confirmed that J&J is still targeting this single dose target and confirmed that the company is taking a two-dose dose.
The price of the vaccine is about $ 10 per dose, but the New Jersey drug maker has pledged not to value its vaccinations for profit.
By comparison, the US pays $ 19.50 per dose for immunization with Pfizer and $ 32-37 per dose of Moderna jab.
Meanwhile, the jab developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University is estimated to cost between $ 3 and $ 4 per dose.
J&J said it aims to deliver one billion doses in 2021 with production in the United States, Europe, South Africa and India.
President Biden aims to get 150 million shots in the arms of Americans by the end of April, his first 100 days in office
Slavitt told Washington Post Live that states have gone from 46 percent to 75 percent of their supply since Biden took office.
He added that there are currently enough vaccine purchases to vaccinate every person in the US by July, but that does not include the J&J vaccine.
“We will let the FDA decide and assume nothing,” Slavitt said.
This is part of letting science lead and not pushing the White House from the sidelines.
