By Samuetta Hill Drew
As thousands of Americans, both within the designated COVID-19 vaccine categories and those yet not listed, anxiously await their two-dose vaccination, a third vaccine is on the horizon. This third vaccine is made by Johnson & Johnson is a single dose vaccine.
This single dose vaccine was made through a collaboration of J&J’s Janssen Pharmaceutical, its Belgium-based vaccine division, and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. This single dose shot vaccine has shown to be 66 percent effective in preventing moderate and severe disease in a global Phase 3 trial, the company announced.
Many medical and scientific experts believe this single shot vaccine would be easier to administer. It would also mean more people could be vaccinated, because no vaccine would have to be set aside for a second vaccine shot. So far, this vaccine is the only one of its kind that only requires a one single vaccine shot. Like Moderna, it can also be kept at a regular refrigerated temperature and does not need a deep freeze like Pfizer’s.
Therefore, William Schaffner, M.D., an internist and infectious disease specialist with Vanderbilt University’s Department of Health Policy is quoted as saying about this single shot vaccine, “This advantage goes up in neon…really accelerates” vaccination efforts in the U.S. and around the world. Dan Barouch, M.D., of Harvard Medical School, who helped develop Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine is quoted as saying, “If it’s a single-dose vaccine, then a billion-vaccine dose would translate into a billion people vaccinated.”
Many in the medical and scientific community agree a single-dose vaccine would also be popular for rural communities in the U.S. and regular doctor’s offices that may not have access or the budget to afford specialized equipment. “In other words, we could bring the vaccine to the people,” Schaffner said, “rather than bringing the people to the vaccine.”
Where millions of American citizens have received their vaccinations, even more have their names on multiple lists awaiting a call for an appointment. So, a third vaccine will help lessen some of these American’s anxieties and wait times, especially those in underserved communities.
These communities are mainly underserved for several reasons, but the two major ones are economics and geographical location. Most of them are in rural and/or remote communities across America where they are miles away from any type of hospital or major health care facility.
So the possible approval of a one single dose vaccine seemingly has many advantages to helping Keep an Eye on Safety for millions of Americans and our society as a whole.
