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How Johnson & Johnson's Coronavirus Vaccine Compares To Other Vaccines Available

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is now the third coronavirus vaccine in the U.S. authorized under emergency use.

"This should really help with distribution and getting closer to the end of the pandemic," says Allegheny Health Network infectious diseases physician Dr. Matthew Moffa.

It is different from Pfizer's and Moderna's vaccines. For instance, J&J's is not an mRNA vaccine.

"It's something called a viral vector vaccine," Dr. Moffa said. "So it takes a harmless virus called adenovirus, inactivated in the lab, and they package it with genetic information."

Genetic information for the coronavirus spike protein, which the body starts to make, spurring the immune system to make antibodies.

"If you get exposed in the future to the virus, your body is ready to give you protection," said Dr. Moffa.

Johnson & Johnson's vaccine has advantages.

"It only takes one shot and after 28 days, you're considered to be fully immune," said Dr. Moffa. "We saw the common things like sore arm, fatigue, muscle aches, but to a less degree than the other two."

"It just requires standard refrigeration, which should help get it out to doctor's offices, clinics and pharmacies," he added.

In studies, it was 66 percent effective worldwide and 72 percent effective in the U.S. While that may seem inferior to the 95 percent with Pfizer's or Moderna's two shots, it's actually much better than the set standard.

"The FDA wanted it to be over 50 percent effective, which it was," Dr. Moffa said.

"The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines were studied at a time before we had the emergence of these new variants," he added.

They are all comparable where it's most important.

"It was 100 percent effective at keeping people out of the hospital and keeping people alive," said Dr. Moffa.

Of course, people have questions about which vaccine to take.

"All three of these are highly effective, highly safe, and you should be excited to take whichever vaccine is offered to you," Dr. Moffa said.

The Johnson & Johnson shot should be available across the country soon. The company plans to ship four million doses this week, 20 million by the end of March, and 100 million by June.

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