WHO gives Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine emergency use listing

After Pfizer and AstraZeneca vaccine, the World Health Organization on March 12approved the Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine for emergency use. In a statement, the WHO chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said that every new, safe and effective tool against COVID-19 is another step closer to controlling the pandemic. The UN agency said that the J&J had been granted the “emergency use listing” which assesses the suitability of new health products during public health emergencies, and is quicker than the regular licensing system. 

Now, the authorisation of the J&J vaccine has paved the way for the jabs to be used as part of the COVAX initiative aimed at ensuring equitable access to vaccines in poorer countries. Around 500 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson jabs have been promised to the facility and the WHO hopes that it can be rolled out through the scheme from July, if not earlier. While speaking at a press briefing, Tedros said that the WHO hopes that this new vaccine will help to narrow vaccine inequalities, and not deepen them. 

EU approves J&J vaccine 

Meanwhile, the WHO’s EUA comes after the single-dose jab won approval from the European Union on Thursday. The vaccine, made by Janssen, is safe and effective and it is considered flexible. It is worth noting that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, in a massive study, spanned over three continents, proved to be strong even in countries including South Africa. 

According to the FDA, Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine was tested in more than 44,000 people in the US, South Africa and Latin America. Globally, the vaccine was 66.1 per cent effective against moderate to severe/critical COVID-19 at least four weeks after vaccination. In the US, the vaccine, however, is considered to be 72 per cent effective and offered 86 per cent protection against severe forms of the disease. 

(Rep. image: AP)