First Covid Vaccine That Requires Only One Dose For Immune Response Considered Safe

A NEW coronavirus vaccine that requires only one dose to provide immunity has been found to be safe following clinical trials.

Johnson & Johnson’s Ad26.COV2.s vaccine is different from Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines in that it aims to provide a good immune response after a single dose; the three vaccines currently being deployed around the world require two injections, weeks apart, to ensure full immunity.

Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine clinical trials have so far shown promising results, with most of the study volunteers producing neutralizing antibodies within 28 days of receiving the trial vaccine.

In the study, details of which have been published in the New England Journal of Medicine, researchers gave 805 healthy adult volunteers aged 18 to 55 and 65 and older a high or low dose of the vaccine. or a placebo.

Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 Vaccine Trials Show Promising Results

According to the researchers, by day 57, all volunteers who received the vaccine instead of a placebo had detectable antibodies, regardless of their age group or dose size, which remained stable for at least 71 days. in volunteers up to the age of 55. .

Some volunteers experienced side effects, and as with other coronavirus and flu shots, the most commonly reported side effects were fever, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, and chest pain. injection sites; those in the older group and those who received a lower dose of the vaccine were less likely to experience side effects.

This data comes from Phase 1 and 2 of the Johnson & Johnson clinical trial, and initial studies suggest the product is safe. The company is expected to release the results of Phase 3 – which covered 45,000 volunteers – later this month.

Earlier this week, The independent Irishman reported that Johnson & Johnson are expected to seek EU approval for its vaccine deployment in Europe next month.

EU lawmaker Peter Liese said EU Health Commissioner Stella Kyriakides told a group meeting for lawmakers that “vaccine maker Johnson & Johnson should apply for EU approval for his vaccine in February “.

If approved, Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine could speed up the vaccination schedule as it requires one dose rather than the two injections, spaced several weeks apart, required by the Pfizer and Moderna injections currently approved by the EU.