South African study shows high COVID protection from J&J shot

JOHANNESBURG - Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine is working well in South Africa, offering protection against severe disease and death, the co-head of a trial in the country said on Friday.

The J&J vaccine was administered to healthcare workers from mid-February in a research study, which was completed in May, with 477,234 health workers vaccinated, joint lead investigator Glenda Gray told a media briefing. South Africa's health regulator approved the J&J shot in April, and it is being used in the national vaccine programme alongside Pfizer's.