Doses: Officials: Johnson & Johnson vaccine will save lives
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and Dr. Joneigh Khaldun choose their words carefully when speaking of COVID-19 vaccines. They use the adjectives safe and effective every time. It’s surely no accident, they are getting their point across.
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is certainly no different.
Whitmer announced on Tuesday that 82,700 doses are headed to Michigan this week, after the FDA granted approval over the weekend.
However, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is much different from the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines which have been put in Michiganders’ arms since mid-December.
First, Johnson & Johnson requires just one dose instead of
two. That’s not the only difference.
“It uses an inactive form of the common cold virus — the adenovirus — that cannot cause any illness. It gives a cold to your body cells so your body can start making special antibodies so that the body fights the real COVID-19 virus if you come in contact with it in the future,’’ Khaldun, the chief medical executive of the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, said on Tuesday.
She said this type of vaccine has been used previously.
“It does not alter your DNA, it does not give you the virus. It went through the same rigorous testing as the other vaccines and no steps were skipped in the process. Like the Pfizer and Moderna it can cause mild side effects,’’ Khaldun said.
She added that in clinical trials 28 days after just one dose of Johnson & Johnson vaccine it was 85% effective in preventing severe illness and no one who received the vaccine died of COVID-19.
In comparison, she said that most annual flu shots are only between 40 and 60% effective in preventing illness.
“This vaccine works. The Johnson & Johnson will save your life if you get infected with COVID-19,’’ Khaldun said.
Michigan has recorded 15,558 deaths since the start of the pandemic nearly one year ago.
“If people are offered this Johnson & Johnson vaccine they should take it,’’ Khaldun said. “Declining this vaccine if it is offered to you could be the difference between life and death.’’
Michigan has administered 2,269,496 doses of Pfizer and Moderna vaccines so far.
Whitmer announced that the Johnson & Johnson
vaccine is manufactured in Grand Rapids. The Pfizer vaccine comes from Portage.
“It’s truly a remarkable achievement and is a proud moment for our state with two of the three vaccines being made here in Michigan by Michigan workers,’’ Whitmer said.
“I think it’s important to pause and marvel at the miracle of science that we now have three safe and effective vaccines on the market.’’
She did warn that Michigan would not receive the same huge number of Johnson & Johnson doses each week. This is the first batch which had already been produced and was waiting for the FDA’s stamp of approval. Next week there will be fewer doses because they will need to catch up in the manufacturing.
“We are headed in the right direction. We just ask that people remain patient as we work around the clock to get shots in arms,’’ Whitmer said.