FDA approves Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use

The Food and Drug Administration granted on Sunday emergency authorization for Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.

Dr. Peter Marks, Director of FDA Center of Biologics Evaluation and Research, said: "Today’s emergency use authorization of the Janssen Covid-19 vaccine is another milestone as we work to end the Covid-19 pandemic.”

The single-shot vaccine is the third to be approved in the United States after Moderna, and Pfizer.

It was expected that the vaccine would be authorized after the FDA advisory committee members voted for the vaccine early this week.

Dr. Jay Portnoy, FDA advisory committee member, said: "We're in a race between the virus mutating, with new variants coming out that can cause further disease, and stopping it."

He asserted: "The fewer people who are infected with the virus, the less opportunity it has to emerge as a more virulent strain."

US President Joe Biden hailed the news, saying: "Exciting news for all Americans, and an encouraging development in our efforts to bring an end to the crisis."

The earliest four million-dose batch of Johnson and Johnson COVID-19 vaccine will be shipped starting from Monday starting with about 4 million of them.

The US expects to receive at least 20 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine at the end of March.