First 'Single-Shot' Coronavirus Vaccine By Johnson & Johnson Gets EU Approval

The vaccine is fourth to be endorsed for use in the EU after jabs from Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca-Oxford University and Moderna got approval. 

(Representative Image/ Getty)

New Delhi: The European Union's drug regulating authority on Thursday granted conditional approval of Johnson & Johnson's Cornavirus vaccine which is a single-use jab. As per reports, Johnson & Johnson vaccine is currently recommended for those above 18 years of age.

The vaccine is fourth to be endorsed for use in the EU after jabs from Pfizer-BioNTech, AstraZeneca-Oxford University and Moderna got approval. 

The vaccine by Johnson & Johnson is being said to be the game changer in Coronavirus vaccination drive which is currently being conducted worldwide. The vaccine is first-of-its-kind as it requires only a single dose, unlike other vaccines that need two doses spaced weeks apart. 

The Johnson & Johnson does not even require freezer to store it, making it best suited for several hard-to-reach rural areas and unprivileged communities that have limited access to healthcare facilities. 

However, the new vaccine has been on the radar of critiques due to lack of clarity about the jabs’ efficacy numbers. Johnson & Johnson vaccine has an efficacy level of 66 per cent, while the other vaccines made by pharma companies such as Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna have efficacy levels of at least 90 per cent.

Meanwhile, Johnson & Johnson has committed to deliver 200 million doses to the EU this year with 600,000 pencilled in to arrive in Ireland between April and June.