The US has added a third effective vaccine in their arsenal of COVID-19 vaccines on Saturday when the country's Food and Drug Administration (FDA) granted an emergency use authorization for Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine.
According to The New York Times, the company will start shipping millions of doses early this week and would give 100 million doses to the US by the end of June. It is said that the company's vaccine differs markedly from the two already in use in the country.
Together with the 600 million doses of vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, that number is predicted to be enough to cover all American adult who wants to be vaccinated.
But the addition of a new vaccine poses the question of which among the available COVID-19 vaccines is the best.
AURORA, CO - DECEMBER 15: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY) Rocky Mountain Regional VA Medical Center investigational pharmacy technician Sara Berech is reflected in the glass of a fume hood as she prepares a dose of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine for a clinical trial on December 15, 2020, in Aurora, Colorado. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine could be submitted for emergency use by late January and is the only vaccine among leading candidates given as a single dose. (Photo by Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images)
How Effective is Johnson & Johnson's Vaccine?
Unlike Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna's COVID-19 vaccines which are both mRNA vaccines, Johnson & Johnson's vaccine is called a viral vector vaccine wherein they took a harmless adenovirus and replaced a small piece of its genetic instructions with genes from SARS-CoV-2 spike protein.
The modified adenovirus enters the person's cells when injected. The vaccinated cell will make and present the spike protein on their surfaces which will be detected by the immune system that will make antibodies against the foreign proteins to protect the body if it ever gets exposed to SARS-CoV-2.
According to Market Watch, the adenovirus vector vaccine is safe because it cannot replicate in human cells and cause disease. This method has been used in creating other vaccines, like the Ebola vaccine and AstraZeneca's COVID-19 vaccine as well.
In terms of rate of effectiveness, FDA's analysis found that it is 72% effective in preventing COVID-19 and 86% effective in preventing severe cases of infection.
How Does Johnson & Johnson's Vaccine Differ to Pfizer's and Moderna's?
Both Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna's vaccines require two doses of vaccines. However, Johnson & Johnson's vaccine requires only one dose. That means more people can be immunized as soon as possible.
Also, Johnson & Johnson COVId-19 vaccine has an advantage with its easy storage. The two vaccines available right now in the US require a freezing temperature for their storage. Although Pfizer has just been granted a warmer storage temperature.
Still, Johnson & Johnson's adenovirus platform is relatively stable and can be kept in refrigerators for months. They are also less expensive to produce, according to the Philadelphia Inquirer.
Lastly, The New York Times reported that the J&J vaccine appears to be less prone to trigger side-effects that require monitoring after the vaccination. There have been reports that most of the side-effects were felt after the second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines were given.
Since J&J does not require a second dose, the chances of side-effects are lesser.
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