Duggan, a Democrat who has been mayor since 2014, said he refused to send because the city is able to meet current demand by supplying the Pfizer / BioNTech and Moderna vaccines – even as his administration expands the vaccine’s eligibility Thursday for ages of residents 50 years or older with chronic medical conditions.
“So Johnson & Johnson is a very good vaccine. Modern and Pfizer are the best. And I will do everything I can to ensure that Detroit city residents receive the best,” Duggan told a news conference on Thursday.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Saturday authorized the single-dose J&J vaccine, which was found to be 72% effective in the U.S. against moderate to severe / critical cases of Covid-19. Clinical trials have shown that the two-dose vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna were about 95% effective.
All three vaccines are highly effective in preventing serious illnesses caused by Covid-19, and health officials recommend that people get any Covid-19 vaccine offered.
“The day may come in March or April when all Moderna and Pfizer are committed, and we still have people who need a vaccine. And at that point, we are going to set up a Johnson & Johnson center. I don’t see that in the next few weeks” said Duggan.
Detroit received 29,000 total doses of vaccines manufactured by Pfizer and Moderna this week, the mayor said. He said he expects about the same amount next week, and has said repeatedly that there is enough supply to meet current demand. He asked all qualified residents to make an appointment.
Detroit’s mass vaccination drive-thru location at the TCF Center is capable of “reaching the maximum” in 5,000 cars a week, explained Duggan, adding that health officials will administer the remaining 4,000 doses between vaccination events of “Senior Saturday” and the health department will be watching week.
Detroit received 6,200 doses of the J&J vaccine, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.
“The doses of Johnson and Johnson not used by Detroit were provided to other health departments that had lower coverage rates for people aged 65 and over,” said spokesman Bob Wheaton in a statement to CNN.
Doses of the J&J vaccine “were allocated at the top of the Moderna and Pfizer distribution,” said Wheaton, adding that Detroit did not receive additional supplies of Moderna or Pfizer to replace the 6,200 missed J&J doses.
“All immunization providers who can manage the storage and management of a vaccine are expected to accept the vaccine,” he said.
Detroit providers administered 101,636 total doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, with 55,121 future doses already scheduled, according to the city’s Covid-19 panel.
A spokesman for Duggan did not immediately respond to questions from CNN about whether the city will accept the J&J vaccine in the future.
CNN also contacted the Biden management for comment.
Governor Gretchen Whitmer said on Tuesday that the state is easing some restrictions related to the coronavirus, including the capacity of restaurants. She cited lower case counts and increased availability of vaccines.
She also recalled that the J&J vaccine is manufactured in the state, in Grand Rapids.