Johnson & Johnson have announced that findings from a laboratory study have shown promising results for it its single-dose COVID-19 vaccine against the Delta variant. Blood analysis drawn from eight patients revealed that immune responses to the Delta variant were higher than those from the Beta variant. Johnson & Johnson (J&J) CSO Paul Stoffels stated that the vaccine provides, ‘durable protection against COVID-19 and elicits neutralizing activity against the Delta variant.’ As initial data from Pfizer Inc (PFE.N) and BioNTech, AstraZeneca (AZN.L) and Moderna (MRNA.O) have shown largely protective results against the variant, even though the concentration of virus-neutralizing antibodies is reduced, the World Health Organization (WHO) has issued concerns over the growing dominance of the Delta variant. Although public health officials in the US have stated that more clinical data is needed, disease experts caution that J&J’s vaccination may require follow up boosters of the Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna vaccines to enhance efficacy against the COVID-19 Delta variant. J&J’s data has been submitted as a preprint to bioRxiv and is set to be peer reviewed.
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