Another weapon has now been added to India’s arsenal for the great fight against the coronavirus. The Indian government on Saturday approved the US single-dose vaccine, Johnson & Johnson, for emergency use.
The American pharmaceutical company had applied for approval to the use of this vaccine by applying to the Central Drug Standard Control Organization (CDSCO) on August 5, which has now been accepted. Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya has given this information by tweeting. From India’s point of view, this vaccine is being considered useful in many cases.
With approval from Johnson & Johnson, there are now a total of five vaccines for use in India. Earlier, in addition to two indigenous vaccines Covaccine and Covishield, Russia’s Sputnik-V and America’s Moderna have been approved for use. This vaccine is being said to be very effective in many studies, while in some studies its serious side effects have also been revealed.
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The company claims – The Vaccine is effective
- In a statement issued by the Company, it has been said that the Phase III trial of the clinical trial has shown very good results regarding the efficacy and safety of the vaccine.
- Trials have shown that this single-dose vaccine can be considered to be up to 85 percent effective in preventing severe cases of coronavirus disease.
- The risk of hospitalization and death related to COVID-19 has been found to be low 28 days after vaccination.
- This vaccine can play an important role to help combat the pandemic,” said a statement released by Johnson and Johnson.
Effective against Delta variants
- In a clinical trial conducted in South Africa regarding this vaccine, it has been claimed to be effective against delta and beta variants of the coronavirus.
- Researchers said that single doses of Johnson & Johnson may prove effective in reducing the risk of serious illness and death caused by these variants.
- Scientists in the study found that this vaccine could reduce the risk of hospitalization due to the delta and beta variants by 71 and 67 percent, respectively.
- Apart from this, the risk of death from infection in those who get this vaccine can be reduced by 96 percent. This study is yet to be published in the journal.
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Paralysis caused by Johnson and Johnson Vaccine
- Several studies have also reported serious side effects from the Johnson and Johnson vaccine.
- On July 12, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning that this vaccine could cause rare neurological complications in some cases.
- According to the FDA, studies have shown cases of a rare condition called Guillain-Barré syndrome in people as side-effects of this vaccine. This problem can make people paralyzed.
- The institute had said that a detailed study is being done to know about it.
Other side-effects of the Johnston & Johnson Vaccine
- According to the US FDA, the most common reactions caused by this vaccine are injection site pain (48.6 percent), headache (39 percent), fatigue (38.2 percent), and muscle pain (33.2 percent).
- Other side effects include a mild fever after vaccination in 9 percent of people and high fever in 0.2 percent.
- Changes in menstrual cycles have also been reported in some studies, although the European Medical Regulatory has denied such fears.
How is this vaccine different?
- According to the information shared by the FDA, the vaccines of Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna are based on RNA technology while the vaccine of Johnson and Johnson is based on adenovirus.
- This vaccine can remain safe at normal refrigerator temperatures for at least three months, while Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require special temperatures to be preserved.
- The most important thing is that two doses of the vaccine present around the world are required, whereas this vaccine has been found to be effective in single-dose only.
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