In addition to the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines, a third single-dose vaccine has now been approved by the FDA. Johnson & Johnson, the corporation that is best known for creating Tylenol, has produced a vaccine with new advantages.

According to The Mercury News, a review by the FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Advisory Committee for the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was conducted on Friday February, 26th 2021 and it was authorized on Saturday February 27th, 2021, therefore, Johnson & Johnson can start immediate shipping. 

With the Johnson & Johnson vaccine getting authorized, many are optimistic about the future in this pandemic. Including, Sonoma State University Biology Student, Danika Cristobal. “I think the new Johnson & Johnson vaccine is a great advancement in the efforts of getting more Americans vaccinated. As a well known company like Johnson & Johnson, it can be more persuading for families because the company is portrayed as the trusted family brand,” Cristobal said. 

Even though this vaccine is not as effective as the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, it isn’t as difficult to store and it isn’t as hard to ship out. It is also effective after only one shot instead of two. This is a big advantage considering how many people need to be vaccinated.

Dr. Warner Greene, a professor of medicine at UCSF, spoke with The Mercury News and stated, “It’s not the world’s best at preventing you from becoming infected or developing minor respiratory symptoms, But this vaccine protects you from severe disease — having to go to the hospital and dying. And frankly, that’s what we want from a vaccine. That is fantastic.”

In The Mercury News, experts state that in terms of effectiveness, this new vaccine is doing fairly well in the United States. “The Johnson & Johnson vaccine provided complete protection against death from COVID-19 28 days after vaccination,” say experts.

According to the New York Times, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine utilizes a virus called adenovirus that is harmless to the human body and immune system. Adenovirus carries a genetic code, in comparison to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines that use messenger RNA that works by giving a portion of the genetic code to cells. 

The New York Times states that all of the vaccines are similar in terms of the way that they use this genetic code to make a protein, also called a spike. The spike causes the body to create antibodies because the immune system will see the spike as a contaminant. Therefore, later if the body comes in contact with a COVID-19 pathogen, the body is able to respond quickly to prevent disease. 

When it comes to side effects, the trials in the United States show that they don’t seem to be as bad as the side effects that come with the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. The Mercury News states, “All three vaccines have modest side effects, such as pain at the injection site, fatigue, headache, muscle pain and joint pain. Significantly, because no one suffered a severe allergic reaction, also known as anaphylaxis, which is seen in Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, people who get the J&J vaccine might not have to be monitored for 15 minutes after injection.”

The FDA review states that this vaccine is proven to be effective throughout demographic groups. According to The Wall Street Journal, the panel for the review was made up of 22 specialists in the medical field, ranging from internal medicine to pediatrics. The all-day meeting consisted of “representatives from the FDA and J&J discussing the safety and effectiveness of the company’s vaccine in a 44,000-plus subject study, according to an agenda, as well as how effective the J&J vaccine is in preventing