The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Sunday formally accepted their advisory panel’s recommendation that Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine can be given to people aged 18 or older in the United States.
CDC Director’s announcement Rochelle WalenskyRochelle WalenskyOvernight Health Care: FDA Panel Endorses Johnson & Johnson Vaccine | CDC director warns of case reduction ‘may be stagnating’ | Biden’s administration buys 100,000 doses of the Lilly antibody drug. FDA panel endorses Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine. The CDC director warns that the decline in COVID-19 cases ‘may be halting’ in ‘change’ MORE will allow vaccination to start as soon as doses are received.
Walensky called the decision “another milestone for ending the pandemic”.
“This vaccine is also another important tool in our toolbox to vaccinate as many people as equitably as possible, as quickly as possible,” Walensky said in a statement.
A senior government official told reporters on Sunday night that Johnson & Johnson (J&J) will send 3.9 million doses immediately and vaccine distribution centers will begin receiving them as early as Tuesday.
Experts said the vaccine could be targeted at places like rural communities, health centers and individual doctors’ offices due to its relatively easy storage requirements.
However, senior officials said the target is equitable distribution and doses will be allocated to states by population, as well as Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines.
Most communities will have doses of the three vaccines, but not all vaccination sites will have it due to limited availability. The authorities emphasized that people should get any vaccine available.
A government official said the 3.9 million doses are Johnson & Johnson’s entire stock. There will be no additional deliveries next week, and the official said that governors are aware of the distribution in early and mid March will be “uneven”.
In total, 20 million doses of the J&J vaccine will be sent in March, but will be more concentrated by the end of the month. The United States has paid 100 million doses, which the company has promised will be delivered by June.
The United States paid more than $ 1 billion to help manufacture and distribute the J&J vaccine. Almost a year ago, the company also won $ 465 million in federal funding for vaccine research and development, bringing its total US funding for the project to nearly $ 1.5 billion.
The country’s third coronavirus vaccine arrives days after the United States exceeded 500,000 COVID-19 deaths.
Although deaths in nursing homes have dropped dramatically, as have cases and deaths in general, the CDC is warning that the decline in new cases has stalled amid an increase in the most contagious variants of the virus.
At the same time, governors across the country are lifting restrictions on coronavirus, including mask mandates and capacity limits, despite warning signs of a new spike in virus mutations.
“This third safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine comes at a potentially crucial time,” said Walensky in the statement.
“The most recent data from the CDC suggests that recent declines in COVID-19 cases may be stagnating and potentially stabilizing in still very high numbers. That is why it is so important that we remain vigilant and take all mitigation measures. steps we know work to prevent the spread of COVID-19 while we work for mass vaccination, “said Walensky.
Updated at 6:22 pm