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.
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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.
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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.