City finally gets J&J’s 1-shot vax

The most recently approved COVID vaccine — which requires only one dose — arrived for the first time in New York City on Thursday.

Unlike the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which were first released to the public in December and require two doses, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires only one dose to be effective.

Mayor de Blasio celebrated the arrival of the vaccine Thursday, saying it would “revolutionize” the city’s approach to vaccinations, in part because it will be easier to administer to seniors unable to travel to vaccination centers.

“We’re going to be using the Johnson & Johnson vaccine immediately to help homebound seniors,” the mayor said Thursday at his morning press briefing. “Outreach is being made, doors are being knocked on. .”

The FDNY is leading that effort and started distributing the new vaccine in Co-op City in the Bronx. It will then focus its attention on Brighton Beach in Brooklyn. The FDNY is working with the city’s Department for the Aging to identify people who are unable to leave their homes.

The initial supply of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in the city is limited. As of Thursday morning, de Blasio said the city had received 16,300 doses with 8,000 more in transit. About 71,000 doses of the new vaccine are expected within the next two weeks.