However, there is concern that, as the public has heard that the injection is only 72% protective in the United States and that the Pfizer and Moderna Covid-19 vaccines have about 95% protection, some will think that this is a vaccine of “second class” . Experts say these figures are highly misleading – and encourage people to take whatever photo is available to them.
The four FEMA-supported vaccination sites in Florida – in Tampa, Orlando, Jacksonville and Miami – now allow people to choose between J&J and Pfizer, according to Jason Mahon, director of communications for the Florida Emergency Management Division .
“Giving them the choice was important,” Mahon told CNN.
Those at the Miami-Dade College vaccination site on Wednesday reflected on their options before deciding which injection they wanted to administer.
Lolita White told CNN that she is “afraid of needles” and therefore “can only do this once”.
“It was liberating,” she said of receiving the J&J vaccine. “But it was very scary at the same time because … I’m definitely afraid of needles. The people there supported me a lot. The guy who gave me the injection … said don’t be afraid.”
Despite J&J’s lesser effectiveness, White said she was comforted to learn that J&J’s research included protection against new variants of the Covid-19 virus.
Guillermo Muñoz said that he trusts that all vaccines are effective – but he also preferred to receive the J&J vaccine because a dose was needed.
“I want to make sure that I am protected and I want to make sure that, you know, we protect others,” Muñoz told CNN. “The faster we reach the herd’s immunity, the faster we will be able to get back to as normal a life as possible.”
Others said they prefer Pfizer – citing several reasons, including the fact that it has been available for a longer time.
“I don’t know much about it (the J&J vaccine), so I prefer something that is well known,” Rocio Mendez told CNN.
Ruth Watkins also opted for Pfizer – she said she believes in the company so much that she decided to invest in it.
“I don’t choose to buy Johnson & Johnson products and I haven’t done it in a long time,” Watkins told CNN. “And Pfizer was just a good choice.”
Anthony Fauci, the country’s leading infectious disease specialist, urged Americans to take any of the three “highly effective” coronavirus vaccines now available and not to delay obtaining one vaccine instead of another.
“We want the largest number of people to be vaccinated as quickly and quickly as possible.”
Patricia Gibbs, who took Pfizer’s reinforcement injection on Wednesday, agrees with Fauci’s opinion.
“We all need to get this photo to protect everyone,” said Gibbs.
CNN’s Pete Muntean, Greg Wallace, Maggie Fox, Chandelis Duster and Jen Christensen contributed to this report.