FDA Requested to Authorize J&J COVID-19 Vaccine Booster Shots

Leading Johnson & Johnson company has requested the US Federal Drug Administration (FDA) to authorize another booster vaccine shot for people who are aged over 18 years old, media agencies reported on Tuesday.

The Global Head of Research and Development at the international drug maker Mathai Mammen said: "Our clinical program has found that a booster of our Covid-19 vaccine increases levels of protection for those who have received our single-shot vaccine to 94 percent."

He explained that after the booster shot was given six months after essential dose "antibody levels increased nine-fold one week after the booster and continued to climb to 12-fold higher four weeks after the booster."

"We look forward to our discussions with the FDA and other health authorities to support their decisions regarding boosters," the expert concluded.

It is worthy to mention that latest study applied on the vaccine showed that the single dose COVID-19 vaccine is effective by at least 90% in reducing the number of deaths linked to COVID-19.

The study has been conducted only in South Africa, and it included 477,234 vaccinated health workers. The vaccine was approved by the South African major medical regulator last April, alongside the Pfizer vaccine.

Glenda Gray, the lead researcher of the study, told Reuters that the single-shot vaccine was effective for reducing COVID-19 linked deaths by more than 91%. On the other hand, it was effective by 67% against infection.

She highlighted: “Consistently after receiving the vaccine, there was very little death occurring in the vaccinated group as compared to the control group and showing a remarkable up-to 96.2% protection against death,” adding, “This was our primary endpoint and we are able to say this vaccine protected health workers against death,” she added.