Benefits of J&J COVID-19 vaccine outweigh risks, CDC data shows

The benefits of the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine outweigh the potential risks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The big picture: There have been 7.8 cases of Guillain-Barré syndrome, a rare neurological disorder, per million doses in adults, which is higher than expected in the general population, according to CDC data.

• In comparison, there was about one case of Guillain-Barre per million doses for people who received one of the two-dose mRNA vaccines, according to the agency.
• The data comes just over a week after the Food and Drug Administration added a warning to the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine, saying the vaccine may lead to an increased risk of a rare neurological disease.

Driving the news: Despite the low risk of an adverse reaction to the bite, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine prevents the vast majority of deaths and serious illnesses from the coronavirus.

• “Many hospitalizations, intensive care admissions and deaths can be avoided with the Janssen and Covid-19 mRNA vaccines, far exceeding the risks, ”CDC researcher Dr Hannah Rosenblum told the agency’s advisory committee on vaccination practices at a meeting Thursday, per CNN.

Between the lines: CDC data shows that for women aged 18 to 29, the vaccine would prevent 8,900 cases of coronavirus and five deaths from COVID-19 and that only one case of GBS could occur.

• For men in this age group, 6,600 cases of COVID-19 and three deaths from COVID-19 would be prevented and only two cases of GBS could occur.
• For every million doses given to women aged 30 to 49, data suggests that 10,100 cases of COVID-19 and 20 deaths from COVID-19 could be prevented compared to the risk of about six to seven cases of GBS .
• For men in this age group, 7,600 cases of COVID-19 and 25 deaths from COVID-19 could be prevented compared to the risk of about seven to eight cases of GBS.
• For every million doses given to women aged 50 to 64, data suggests that 12,100 cases of COVID-19 and 120 deaths from COVID-19 could be prevented compared to the risk of seven to eight cases of GBS.
• In men, the vaccine is believed to prevent around 10,100 cases of Covid-19 and 140 deaths from Covid-19 and carries a risk of 14 to 17 cases of GBS, according to CDC data.