There could be three vaccines available soon in the U.S.
Johnson & Johnson applied for emergency use authorization of its COVID vaccine Thursday.
Unlike the two vaccines currently in use in the U.S., the one from Johnson & Johnson requires just a single dose.
It's different from the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines in other ways.
Johnson & Johnson broke its clinical trial findings down by region. But overall, it was 66% effective at preventing moderate and severe COVID cases. Comparing it to the other two vaccines, that number is behind Pfizer and Moderna, whose vaccines are both 95% effective, but there are a couple of factors that could give Johnson & Johnson an edge.
First is logistics. The company's vaccine is just one shot and it can be stored in regular refrigerators, unlike other options that have to be stored in super-cold freezers. So, the Johnson & Johnson shot could vaccinate people more quickly. It may also be used to vaccinate people who are homebound and can't make it to a vaccination clinic.
Johnson & Johnson's vaccine showed complete protection against hospitalizations and deaths just 28 days after vaccination.
This is major, especially since in order to get the full protection from the Pfizer or Moderna shot, you need to get both doses given weeks apart. This could mean faster protection with the Johnson & Johnson shot.
