Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Johnson & Johnson Says Its Two-Shot Vaccine Boosts Effectiveness To 94%
CNN: Two Dose Version Of Johnson & Johnson Shot 94% Effective Against Covid-19, Study Finds
A two-dose version of Johnson & Johnson's coronavirus vaccine provides 94% protection against symptomatic infection, the company said Tuesday -- making a two-dose regimen of J&J's Janssen vaccine comparable to a two-dose regimen of Moderna's or Pfizer's. Plus, the company said, adding a booster dose to a single shot of the vaccine raised immunity even more, and should also protect people strongly against infection. (Fox, 9/21)
CNBC: J&J Covid Vaccine Booster 94% Effective When Given At Two Months, J&J Says
Johnson & Johnson said Tuesday its Covid-19 booster shot is 94% effective when administered two months after the first dose in the United States. It also said the booster increases antibody levels by four to six times compared with one shot alone. A J&J booster dose given six months out from the first shot appears to be potentially even more protective against Covid, the company said, generating antibodies twelvefold higher four weeks after the boost, regardless of age. (Lovelace Jr., 9/21)
The New York Times: An Extra J. &Amp; J. Shot Substantially Boosts Protection Against Covid, The Company Reports
Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine has shown little sign of waning. Researchers released a study last week comparing 390,517 vaccinated people to 1,524,153 unvaccinated ones. Up to five months after vaccination, the effectiveness of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine against hospitalization remained steady at around 81 percent. As the pandemic has unfolded, people who received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine have waited for guidance about whether they’ll need a booster. The new clinical trial, which recruited 32,000 volunteers around the world, compared people who received one dose of Johnson & Johnson to those who received two doses eight weeks apart. (Zimmer, 9/21)
In other news about booster shots —
Politico: Vaccine Supply Fears Motivated White House Booster Push
Top advisers to President Joe Biden pushed for his administration to announce a broad booster rollout for September in part because of fears that the U.S. could run short of doses needed to offer the shots to its entire population if vaccines’ protection decreased suddenly, according to two senior officials with knowledge of the matter. The internal campaign coincided with pleas from international leaders for the U.S. to do more to help lower-and middle-income countries secure initial doses. Biden’s team wanted to make sure the U.S. would have enough supply for the 40 percent of eligible Americans who still needed their first shots and those who would eventually need a boost, the officials said — despite the country’s deep vaccine stockpile. (Banco, 9/20)
Axios: Biden To Get COVID Booster Shot On Camera
President Biden will receive his COVID booster shot on camera once it's fully approved for Americans ages 65 and older, the White House said Monday. A federal advisory panel unanimously voted last week to recommend that the Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) authorize a third dose of Pfizer's vaccine for people over the age of 65 and those at higher risk of infection. (Chen, 9/20)
Also —
The Wall Street Journal: CVS Makes Hiring Push Amid Worker Shortage, Increased Covid-19 Vaccine Demand
CVS Health Corp. CVS -1.09% , one of the biggest U.S. providers of Covid-19 tests and vaccines, is racing to hire thousands of workers as staffing shortages prompt stores to close drive-through lanes and at times turn away customers seeking shots. The largest U.S. pharmacy chain by stores said it plans to add 25,000 employees this week in a single-day hiring spree to prepare for a potential surge in demand from booster shots and as more people seek Covid-19 tests and flu vaccines. (Terlep, 9/20)
Houston Chronicle: CVS Health Hiring 3,500 In Texas During One-Day Event
CVS Health is gearing up to fill 25,000 clinical and retail jobs during a one-day hiring event Friday, Sept. 24. The jobs, including 3,500 in Texas, consist of new and existing positions as the company prepares for the fall and winter flu season and COVID-19 vaccination and testing remain in high demand. “Every flu season we need additional team members, but this year we’re looking for even more.” Neela Montgomery, executive vice president, CVS Health and president, CVS Pharmacy said in an announcement. “With the continued presence of COVID-19 in our communities, we’re estimating a much greater need for pharmacists, trained pharmacy technicians, nurses, and retail store associates.” (Feser, 9/20)
