(Photo: Justin Tallis/AFP)
Johnson & Johnson said on Wednesday that the second dose of the Covid-19 vaccine boosted immunity after the first dose.
The company stated in a press release that in two clinical studies that have not yet been peer-reviewed, an additional injection caused a 9-fold increase in coronavirus antibodies.
The administration of President Joe Biden has announced plans to allow all Americans (Pfizer and Moderna) receiving the mRNA vaccine to receive the third dose eight months after the second dose of the series.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has stated that a second dose of Johnson & Johnson vaccine is expected to be needed, but more data is needed before clear recommendations can be made. Wednesday’s announcement may help inform the strategy.
The company’s press release did not specify when to take the second dose, but information about the trial on the government website shows that the company is testing multiple intervals, starting at six months.
The news came after the CDC announced that the overall effectiveness of the Covid-19 vaccine had declined after the highly infectious Delta variant became dominant.
In an ongoing study of the vast majority of US health workers vaccinated by Pfizer and Moderna, the effectiveness against all forms of infection dropped from 91% before Delta to 66%.
But according to most studies, the protection against severe Covid-19 and death is still more stable, over 90%
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