Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
J&J Starts Moving Out Newly Authorized Covid Vaccine
ABC News: US Begins Rollout Of Johnson & Johnson Coronavirus Vaccine
Johnson & Johnson will ship the first batch of its coronavirus vaccine to states and pharmacies on Monday, just two days after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration gave Emergency Use Authorization. The pharmaceutical company said it planned to roll out 3.9 million doses to state and local governments based on the size of the local adult population as well as federal distribution sites and select pharmacies. Unlike the vaccines developed by Moderna and Pfizer, which require two doses for full immunization, the J&J vaccines only need one dose, according to the FDA. (Pereira, 3/1)
NBC News: J&J Covid-19 Vaccine Distribution To Begin Immediately
The first shots of Johnson & Johnson's coronavirus vaccine could be administered as early as Tuesday, senior Biden administration officials said Sunday. The drugmaker, which got sign off over the weekend for emergency use of its vaccine from both the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, is expected to deliver 4 million shots this week. (Edwards, 2/28)
CNBC: CDC Director Signs Off On J&J's Single-Shot Covid Vaccine
Dr. Rochelle Walensky, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, signed off Sunday on Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot Covid-19 vaccine for those 18 years of age and older as the federal government prepares to ship out millions of doses this week. ... The federal government can now begin shipping doses out to sites across the country. The ACIP met in an emergency session to review data on the vaccine, which on Saturday became the third shot to receive an emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration. (Feuer, 2/28)
But supply will be limited at first —
Stat: J&J Covid-19 Vaccine To Start Shipping, Early Supply Will Be Uneven
Health care providers will begin receiving the first 3.9 million doses of Johnson & Johnson’s newly authorized Covid-19 vaccine as early as Tuesday morning, though supply will be uneven in the coming weeks, senior Biden administration officials said. The first shipments account for the entirety of J&J’s current inventory. Officials expect another 16 million doses to be available by the end of March, though J&J told the federal government that the doses will be delivered mostly toward the second half of the month. (Cohrs, 2/28)
The New York Times: Supplies Of Johnson & Johnson Vaccine Will Be Limited At First, Officials Warn
One day after federal regulators authorized Johnson & Johnson’s Covid-19 vaccine for emergency use, senior Biden administration officials warned Sunday that the supply of the new vaccine would be highly uneven for the next month. In an effort to lower expectations that the authorization of a third Covid vaccine will mean a steady new stream of doses, the officials said that the company will deliver 3.9 million shots this week but none the week after. The officials were speaking in an organized briefing with reporters but refused to be quoted by name. (LaFraniere, 2/28)
