New test is underway for Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine
HOUSTON - Johnson and Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine is the latest to receive FDA approval, and a million doses is heading our way, but the company is still looking into ways to make it even more effective.
We talked to a man who recently joined their study to find out if two doses may be more effective than one, which is the current protocol.
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The Centers for Disease Control says this vaccine has been 72% effective in clinical trials in the U.S. Jamie Stewart is on board to help them find the answers.
"I went and had a phone screening. They answered all of my questions, and so I went over to the clinic and did a physical screening and still qualified, so I took the shot," says Jamie.
Researchers are trying to determine if two doses will be more effective and push up the rates to the other two vaccines now available, with those vaccines showing to be more than 94% effective.
Jamie says he didn't have any side effects from it, but doesn't know if he actually got the vaccine or a placebo. He admits to some soul searching before getting on board with this latest study because he had signed almost a year ago when the pandemic had just started and is just now getting to help.
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"So my friend asked why are you doing it now, the vaccine is almost here, you can just go get the vaccine. And I called a friend of mine who works in pharmacology and development of new drugs and asked him if it's a waste of time now, and he said no! These studies are still important, and so I wanted to get involved last summer and I still wanted to get involved and help now, so it didn't make a difference to me whether what the timing was," explains Jamie.
As Houstonians continue to get vaccinated, Jamie says he will keep living life as though he didn't receive the vaccine until our country reaches herd immunity.
"Even with the governor's new order, I'm planning on masking up for at least six months or so and until the hospitalization death rate drops down to like normal flu. I'm going to stay safe," says Jamie.
Experts say all three vaccines are equivalent! Despite the percentage rate on "preventing" COVID-19,100% of the people who've gotten the Johnson & Johnson vaccine were protected from hospitalizations and death from the virus and that's the same for all three vaccines.
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