Top Questions Answered About the Johnson & Johnson Vaccine
Source: NPR
How does the Johnson & Johnson vaccine work?
The J&J shot is a viral vector vaccine. It uses a cold virus, modified to be harmless, to deliver a genetic blueprint to cells so the immune system will learn to recognize a coronavirus' spike protein. To be clear, the vaccine can't give you COVID or the common cold.
Is the Johnson & Johnson vaccine as effective as a two-dose version from Pfizer or Moderna?
"When we look at the thing we probably care about most - making sure that we don't end up in the ICU or dying - the efficacy of the three vaccine is virtually identical."
Dr. KRISTEN BIBBINS-DOMINGO
Chair of Epidemiology and biostatistics at UC San Francisco
How long does it take for protection to kick in once I've had the J&J vaccine?
Johnson & Johnson data show that most trial participants had a robust immune response 15 days after getting the shot, with significant protection reached by day 29.
Why shouldn't I just hold out for the vaccine with the highest efficacy rate?
Get whichever vaccine you can as soon as you're eligible, infectious disease experts urge. The longer you go unvaccinated, the longer you're at the risk of contracting a COVID-19 infection that potentially could kill you.
