PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) -- Johnson and Johnson just released clinical trial data about a one-shot COVID-19 vaccine that is 66% effective overall against the virus. It could be the third vaccine to hit the U.S. market.
The announcement comes after a Phase 3 trial. The efficacy of this vaccine is higher when it comes to preventing the most serious of symptoms. And that's really important here, says KYW Medical Editor Dr. Brian McDonough.
"It's 85% effective against something that would send you home from work, let's say, and it appears to be 100% effective against ending up in the ICU and being one of those very sick patients," he said.
This is good news for an overwhelmed health care system.
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Both the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines in use in the United States show 94% to 95% efficacy, but the FDA over the summer said a baseline of 50% would really make an impact in this pandemic.
McDonough says the possibility of another tool to use in the fight against COVID-19 is great news.
"I see it as another opportunity to get out there and get protected. Another way of looking at it: Do you want to drive a fancy sports car or a regular car? Who cares? They both get you there, and that’s what we really need to do right now."
Also important: Johnson and Johnson's vaccine comes in a single-dose. The others require two doses to be effective. So if this new vaccine gets FDA approval for emergency use, it will certainly help to alleviate vaccine supply issues.
And the Johnson and Johnson shot doesn't need the deep freeze that the Pfizer vaccine does. So the logistical difficulties of transporting and storing the vaccine could disappear.
The company says it will apply for that emergency use authorization soon and could get 100 million doses to the U.S. by June.