Johnson & Johnson officials say they plan to seek Food and Drug Administration approval of a COVID-19 booster shot after providing the agency data on the effectiveness of a second dose.
What You Need To Know
- Johnson & Johnson is planning to seek FDA approval for a booster shot of its COVID-19 vaccine
- The company claims that a booster shot is 94% effective when given two months after the first dose
- More: Johnson & Johnson's full release on its booster shot data
For Coral Negron, 29, it was good news.
She now works from home because of the coronavirus pandemic, but she first felt the impact of it in March 2020 after she was diagnosed with COVID-19.
At first she only experienced mild symptoms.
“At the very end of my sickness, I was getting a lot of palpitations, I was getting a lot of fatigue, so I had to go to the emergency room,” Negron said.
After her experience with the coronavirus, she decided to get the one-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine in April. Because of her condition, though, she first spoke with a doctor.
“I went straight to him and said, ‘Are there and risks if I get the vaccine while pregnant?’ and he said, ‘In my experience, it’s no’,” Negron said.
She’s currently seven months pregnant with her third child. She said her two sons and her unborn daughter inspired her to get the Johnson & Johnson booster shot, if and when it becomes available.
According to Johnson & Johnson, its booster shot is 94% effective when taken two months after the first dose and it increases antibody levels up to six times compared with one shot.
“My kids are going to school in person now and the risks are higher," Negron said. "Recently my youngest had to miss school for a week because there was a kid in his class who tested positive. I will get it after I give birth because I want to keep protecting my family.”
So far, the FDA has only allowed the emergency use of Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccine booster shots for the elderly and people with a compromised immune system.