US authorises Johnson and Johnson’s COVID vaccine

Single-dose vaccine is the third authorised in the US and is 85 percent protective against severe illness.

The United States has authorised Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, adding a third jab to its medical toolbox to fight one of the world’s worst coronavirus outbreaks. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said on Saturday that Johnson & Johnson’s single-dose vaccine offered strong protection against serious illness, hospitalisations and death. One dose was 85 percent protective against the most severe COVID-19 illness, according to a study that spanned three continents – protection that remained strong even in countries such as South Africa, where one of the coronavirus variants of most concern is spreading.