Rejoice! Finally, someone has said it. Johnson & Johnson works.
New results from a clinical trial called “Sisonke” in South Africa showed that a single dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, just one, made by Johnson & Johnson is highly effective in preventing severe illness and death from the Delta and Beta variants of the coronavirus.
These results were reported at a news conference by the South Africa’s Ministry of Health which is a breather for everyone as many have already been vaccinated and the ones planning to are anxious to have this brand of vaccine as to its rising question of efficacy.
J. & J. vaccine is now being administered to senior citizens and essential workers here in the Philippines, and with that many have worried as it was formerly reported that it doesn’t work against the Delta variant. Many speculated that one might need a booster shot or a mix of another vaccine brand for a 2nd dose which was proven wrong through the clinical trial.
One shot is enough and there’s no need for a booster and mixing brands have already been discouraged by doctors.
Sisonke Trial results:
(Feb 2021-May 2021)
- Efficacy against death from the Delta variant: up to 95%
- Efficacy against hospitalization: up to 71%
- Efficacy against Beta variant: up to 71%
- The vaccine did slightly worse against the Beta variant, which is thought to be more adept at sidestepping the immune response than Delta.
- With breakthrough infections occurrence:
- mild symptoms: 96%, death: less than 0.05%
“We believe this vaccine is doing what it was designed to do, which was to stop people going to hospital and stop them ending in I.C.U.s and dying,” -Dr. Linda-Gail Bekker, co-lead of the study and director of the Desmond Tutu H.I.V. Centre at the University of Cape Town.
A very good news indeed for there will be less hesitation now for every Filipino to get vaccinated.
