X

FDA panel gives Johnson & Johnson's one-shot COVID-19 vaccine green light

The next step is emergency use authorization by the FDA.

Corinne Reichert Senior Editor
Corinne Reichert (she/her) grew up in Sydney, Australia and moved to California in 2019. She holds degrees in law and communications, and currently writes news, analysis and features for CNET across the topics of electric vehicles, broadband networks, mobile devices, big tech, artificial intelligence, home technology and entertainment. In her spare time, she watches soccer games and F1 races, and goes to Disneyland as often as possible.
Expertise News, mobile, broadband, 5G, home tech, streaming services, entertainment, AI, policy, business, politics Credentials
  • I've been covering technology and mobile for 12 years, first as a telecommunications reporter and assistant editor at ZDNet in Australia, then as CNET's West Coast head of breaking news, and now in the Thought Leadership team.
Corinne Reichert
2 min read
008-vaccine-race-2021-johnson-johnson-rollout-single-injection-emergency-approval

The third coronavirus vaccine has been recommended unanimously by an FDA panel.

Sarah Tew/CNET

An advisory panel for the US Food and Drug Administration has recommended Johnson & Johnson's single-dose COVID-19 vaccine be given the green light by the FDA. The FDA Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee unanimously voted Friday afternoon to approve the vaccine

The next step will be emergency approval from the FDA itself. 

Read more: Where to get a COVID-19 vaccine: Target, Walmart, NFL stadiums, Disneyland, more

In early February, a week after announcing that its single-dose vaccine was 66% effective overall in preventing COVID-19 in a global clinical trial, Johnson & Johnson submitted an application requesting the FDA grant emergency use authorization for the vaccine.

It would be the third vaccine on the US market, following the FDA granting emergency use authorization for the Pfizer and Moderna coronavirus vaccines in December, with vaccinations beginning just days later. Those vaccines are said to be 95% and 94% effective, respectively. Unlike the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, Johnson & Johnson's vaccine requires only a single shot.

Earlier this month, President Joe Biden announced that the US is buying enough doses of Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines to cover 300 million people in the country by the end of July -- though this doesn't mean everyone will be vaccinated by then.

"We've now purchased enough vaccine supply to vaccinate all Americans," Biden said. Actually administering the vaccines to all Americans could take longer because vaccinations are managed at a state and local level.

Here's where to get a COVID-19 shot, and here's how to track how many vaccines are available in your state.

Read more: The COVID-19 vaccine is free. So how could you still get a medical bill?

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.