TAMPA, Fla. — It's easy to see the efficacy of each COVID-19 vaccine that has gotten an Emergency Use Authorization from the Food and Drug Administration and think some are better than others.
Moderna and Pfizer were both found to be more than 90 percent effective at preventing cases of COVID-19, while Johnson & Johnson's stands at 66 percent.
So took this question to our scientists - Is the Johnson & Johnson vaccine worth getting?
"Efficacy for Johnson & Johnson can get a little bit confusing for some folks, because in the original clinical trials, that efficacy that was released with 66 percent," Dr. Jill Roberts with USF Public Health said.
The epidemiologist says most people focus on that number for the single-dose vaccine, but it isn't all about the numbers.
"You can't really compare apples to oranges, because Moderna and Pfizer's clinical trials are actually done before the current variants were out. When we add in the current variants that actually changes things. The really, really good news is, when you use Johnson & Johnson's vaccine across all age groups, and all geographic areas, that efficacy, it jumps to near 85 percent," Roberts said.
The CDC says the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has high efficacy at preventing hospitalization and death in COVID-19 patients. Data from clinical trials show the vaccine can provide protection against asymptomatic infection.
"Out of the 30,000 people in the trials, very few people actually died. Now, when you take a look at the trials, all the people who died from COVID were in the placebo arm. None of them were in the vaccine arm. That's true for all three of the vaccines that have been given Emergency Use Authorization here," Dr. Michael Teng with USF Public Health said.
The virologist says the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is up to par with Moderna and Pfizer. Anyone who's eligible should feel comfortable getting a dose no matter the brand.
"This is a pandemic. The sooner we get everybody vaccinated, the better," Teng said.
Answer: Yes. The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is worth getting. It's safe and it works.
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