PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires one dose, but that’s not the only difference between it and the other two-dose vaccine options.
The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are both made from mRNA, which provides instructions to cells to create a harmless piece of the spike protein found on the surface of the novel coronavirus. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, once that protein piece is made, a person’s body can break down the genetic instructions and get rid of the virus altogether.
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine has a different approach. It is made from a viral vector, a harmless adenovirus or cold virus, with a piece of its genetic instructions removed and replaced with genes from the novel coronavirus. Once injected, the vaccine essentially teaches a person’s immune system, using the genetic information in the viral vector, to fight off the virus.
KYW Newsradio’s Medical Reports are sponsored by Independence Blue Cross.