COVID-19: WHO says countries can now use one or two courses of Janssen vaccine

(United Nations News) Countries “can now consider” using one or two courses of the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine, otherwise known as the Johnson & Johnson, or J&J shot, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced on Friday. 

The one-dose schedule is already authorized under the Emergency Use Listing Procedure, the agency explained in their updated recommendations, but now a second dose “may be appropriate”, the UN health agency said.  

For WHO, in some circumstances, using one dose may have advantages.  

Many countries face severe vaccine supply constraints, combined with a high disease burden.  

In these cases, a single dose of the vaccine is efficacious and makes it possible to increase vaccine coverage rapidly, reducing the burden on health care systems.  

A single dose may also be a preferred option for vaccinating hard-to-reach populations or populations living in conflict-effected settings. 

Read more at: United Nations News

Source: CARICOM TODAY