Fauci says Johnson & Johnson vaccine is useful in fighting COVID-19, despite lower effectiveness

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Anthony FauciAnthony Fauci COVID-19 cases decrease, but variants indicate the dangers ahead. The first US cases of the South African virus variant reported in South Carolina Fauci warn that the situation of COVID-19 “could worsen”, given the new variants MORE, the government’s leading infectious disease expert, said Johnson & Johnson’s new COVID-19 vaccine is good news in the fight against coronavirus, although it is less effective than other photos already in circulation.

“It simply came to our notice then. It adds value to the entire effort to include more vaccine candidates, “Fauci told NBC News on Friday night.

The comments come after Johnson & Johnson announced that its vaccine is 66% effective in preventing moderate or severe disease, a level of protection above the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) minimum, but lower than the Pfizer and Moderna authorized vaccines, which are effective about 95 percent of the time.

The effectiveness of the shot was 72% in the United States, but decreased to 57% in South Africa, where a new variant of coronavirus is taking place.

“Even though the results showed 72 percent in the United States, it was a study that involved not only the United States, but also South Africa and Brazil. The important point is that the protection against severe diseases was very high, even in South Africa, where the mutant is dominant “, said Fauci.

“So, even if the number compared to mild to moderate disease, 72 percent compared to 94-95, it is clear that 94-95 is better,” he continued. “But from a practical point of view, from what you want to do to keep people out of the hospital and prevent death, this is an added value. ”

While the effectiveness of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is lower than that of its competitors, the company pointed out that its shot is 85% effective in preventing severe disease and has been 100% effective in preventing hospitalization or death from 28 days after vaccination.

“One of the important things you want to do is keep people out of the hospital. If you can protect them against any type of symptom, it would be good “, said Fauci. “Not so well against early disease, but against serious consequences, it does very well.”

However, Johnson & Johnson could face what Fauci said could be a “messaging issue,” given the title of its effectiveness that lags behind Pfizer and Moderna. And even if it is a single dose instead of requiring two doses, people may be reluctant to take it.

“Very well there may be people who would actually prefer to take a dose,” Fauci said. “So I think it will be useful, even if there may be some who say, ‘I want the one with the best numerical efficiency.’ This is going to happen and it will be a messaging issue. ”

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