Washington, February 28: The United States of America (USA) on Saturday has approved the emergency use of Janssen COVID-19 (Johnson & Johnson) vaccine to battle the coronavirus pandemic, which has claimed over half a million lives in the US. The Janssen COVID-19 by Johnson & Johnson is the third safe and effective vaccine that has been permitted for emergency use, the White House said in a statement. The other two COVID-19 vaccines that have been approved by the US FDA include Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

US President Joe Biden described the approval as an encouraging development in efforts to end the COVID-19 crisis and said this is exciting news for all US citizens. "Today, after a rigorous, open, and objective scientific review process, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency use authorisation for a third safe and effective vaccine to help us defeat the COVID-19 pandemic - the Janssen COVID-19 (Johnson and Johnson) vaccine," Biden said.

Janssen COVID-19 vaccine: All About the COVID-19 Vaccine by Johnson and Johnson

  1. The Janssen COVID-19 vaccine by Johnson and Johnson works with one dose instead of two. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines requires two shots within two weeks. It is the first single-dose COVID-19 vaccine available in the US, and is one that "checks nearly all the boxes", CNN reported.

  2. the vaccine got an approval on Saturday, days after emergency use authorisation (EUA) was given to two-dose shots from Pfizer and Moderna in December last year.

  3. The vaccine, made by Janssen, J&J's vaccine arm, is safe and effective, and it's considered flexible. It's a single dose, and it doesn't require special storage.

  4. The EUA allows the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine to be distributed in the US for use in individuals of 18 years of age or older.

  5. Unlike the other two approved vaccines, the Johnson and Johnson vaccine is administered as a single dose.

  6. The authorisation of this (Johnson and Johnson) vaccine expands the availability of vaccines, the best medical prevention method for COVID-19.

  7. The FDA said the totality of available data provides clear evidence that the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine may be effective in preventing the infection.

  8. Data also shows that the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine’s known and potential benefits outweigh its known and potential risks, supporting the company's request for the vaccine's use in people of 18 years of age and older.

The vaccine by Johnson and Johnson, which works with one dose instead of two, got approval on Saturday. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines requires two shots within two weeks. The approval for Janssen vaccine came months after emergency use authorisation (EUA) was given to two-dose shots from Pfizer and Moderna in December 2020. Reports inform that the  EUA allows the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine to be distributed in the US for use in individuals of 18 years of age or older. Unlike the other two approved vaccines, the Johnson and Johnson vaccine is administered as a single dose.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 28, 2021 08:32 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).