Pittsburgh Doctor Says Johnson & Johnson Coronavirus Vaccine Will Be Available In More Places
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine has some advantages
It is a single shot, and with easier storage, it could be available in more places.
"It can be stored in a refrigerator for three months," says Dr. Marc Itskowitz, a primary care internist at the Allegheny Health Network. "This will be the type of vaccine that physician offices will be able to have. You'll be able to go into a community center to be vaccinated."
It's made with DNA instead of RNA, and DNA is less fragile. The vaccine is made with a common cold virus that cannot make copies of itself or make people sick. It carries DNA coding for the coronavirus spike protein.
"It carries the genetic instructions so that the body then generates those spike proteins and then will be protected when the immune system recognizes those spike proteins. There would be no impact on human DNA," Dr. Itskowitz said.
The FDA has presented its analysis of the company's data.
"They studied over 40,000 people in a lot of different countries. They did include minorities, different ethnic groups," Dr. Itskowitz said.
In general, it is 66 percent effective against moderate to severe illness, and even better in the U.S. at 72 percent. Against just severe illness, the vaccine is 85 percent effective.
"Those kinds of numbers are very good," said Dr. Itskowitz. "We won't be able to fully prevent infection with J&J's vaccine, but we should be able to prevent severe infection, including hospitalization."
Two weeks after immunization, there were no hospitalizations or deaths in the vaccine group, compared to 16 hospitalizations and seven deaths in the placebo group.
The side effects are similar to other vaccines, including "injection site soreness, mild fever, muscle aches." But no severe allergic reactions. The FDA will watch blood clots, though. These occurred in both the placebo and the vaccine groups.
As for the variants?
"It seemed to have some protection, but I don't think it has full protection against some of the emerging variants," Dr. Itskowitz said.
He hopes having another option will make a big difference.
"This is a scientific triumph to get these vaccines out here as quickly as possible," Dr. Itskowitz said.
"I think we can anticipate that by the end of the summer in the United States, we're going to be in a very good position with this pandemic," the local doctor said.
The FDA's vaccine advisory panel meets on Friday to discuss possible emergency use authorization. If it is authorized, it will be the third vaccine to become available in the U.S.