Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose Covid-19 vaccine has been approved for emergency use in India. The US-based pharma giant had applied for emergency use authorisation for its jab on Friday and was granted the approval the same day by the Drugs Controller General of India (DCGI), health ministry officials said.
“We are pleased to announce that on August 7, 2021, the Government of India issued Emergency Use Authorisation (EUA) for the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 single-dose vaccine in India, to prevent Covid-19 in individuals 18 years of age and older,” Johnson & Johnson’s India spokesperson said in a statement.
The five vaccines granted Emergency Use Authorisation in India are Serum Institute”s Covishield, Bharat Biotech”s Covaxin, Russia”s Sputnik V, Moderna and now Johnson & Johnson (J&J).
Here is what you need to know about Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose Covid-19 vaccine
1) According to USA’s FDA analysis, Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine was 72% effective at preventing all COVID-19 illness and 86% effective at preventing severe cases of the disease. In South Africa, a similar trial found that the J&J vaccine has an efficacy of up to 71% against hospitalization from the Delta variant, 67% against hospitalization from the Beta variant and up to 96% against death.
2) The single dose vaccine was developed by the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, to prevent COVID-19 in individuals 18 years of age and older. It was granted approval by USA’s FDA in February 2021 after evaluating the results of all three stages of clinical trials. The trial, conducted in eight countries across three continents, included a diverse and broad population including 34 percent of participants over age 60.
3) India’s Biological E will produce the vaccine in the country, the vaccine maker had announced on 18 May. It added that the Hyderbad-bade firm will be an important part of its global supply chain network.
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4) Given it’s a single dose vaccine, it is more expeditious and higher in efficacy than the other vaccine options which require follow-up doses. This not only eases the burden on production but also on distribution, escalating the COVID-19 vaccination drive.
5) Major advantage of the J&J vaccine is significantly less stringent storage requirements. The vaccine only needs to be stored at common refrigerator temperatures
6) Through J&J’s vaccine, human body is introduced to the genetic code for the spike proteins covering the outside of the coronavirus through a technology called “viral vector”, which uses a second, weakened virus to deliver the genetic payload, and help the immune system recognize the coronavirus. The Guradian reported.
7) The Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine will be given to you as an injection into the muscle.
