Johnson & Johnson Creates New Vaccine
The Claim
Johnson & Johnson has developed a new vaccine for COVID-19.
News posted on
Emerging story
The news of another vaccine has been received with a mixture of excitement and hesitance by social media users. On one hand, many seem overjoyed at the prospect of more vaccines being introduced to the public. On the other, the questionable efficacy of Johnson & Johnson’s jab (as well as the PR issues the company has had) has caused some to express doubt over taking this option over the others available.
Misbar’s Analysis
Misbar’s investigation found that unlike the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines which require two injections spaced out by three to four weeks, the one developed by Johnson & Johnson only needs one dose. This is an undeniable advantage, since the period of time in between doses for the other vaccines still leaves patients vulnerable to the virus. Having a one-and-done vaccine also mitigates the delicate planning required to make sure that second injections are available before the first is rendered obsolete.
Still, there is the issue of efficacy. Johnson and Johnson reported that their vaccine is 66% effective when it comes to moderate and severe cases of the virus.
On paper, this does not compare particularly well to the rates of success seen in the clinical trials of Pfizer and Moderna which showed approximately 95% effectiveness. However, clinical trials are not always representative of real-world interactions, and the trials themselves were relatively rushed to get the vaccines distributed as soon as possible.
However, new strains of the virus which developed and spread from the UK and South Africa are noticeably more contagious. Ultimately, the addition of new vaccines is still good news for the public, but we will have to carefully monitor how each works out.
