Johnson & Johnson COVID Vaccine Shows Promising Immune Response for Grandparents

Johnson & Johnson's COVID vaccine shows a promising immune response from its experiment, even in the elderly. After a single-dose administration, there were minimal side effects from the subjects. 

Nearly all volunteers showed positive results after getting the vaccine. The researchers tested the vaccine into groups of people aged 65 and older and aged 18 to 55. Results showed that 90 percent of the subjects had neutralizing antibodies by the 29th day after their first dose. 

The same level of antibodies after 71 days

Two months after the first dose, antibodies remained the same. Reports showed that after 71 days, the levels of antibodies stayed stable in their subjects. Later this month, Johnson & Johnson plans to make more advanced trials reports and hopes to apply for the US Food and Drug Administration authorization soon after. 

Combined Phase 1-2 trial, the research team, found that either one or two doses of the vaccine had produced antibody and T-cell responses to fight off the coronavirus. While the trials were not meant to show if the vaccine could help fight infections or symptoms from the virus, Phase 3 trials will focus on that. 

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The vaccines worked well with almost all the participants

A team of international researchers tested the vaccine on 800 volunteers and revealed it was safe and worked well. Pfizer, together with its partner BioNTech and Moderna, both received authorization from the FDA. 

Janssen, Johnson & Johnson's vaccine arm, uses a weakened virus to prompt the body to produce pieces of the virus so the body could recognize it. Their results showed a robust immune response that a single-dose showed better effects than other two-dose vaccines. 

After the company has collected Phase 3 data, which is set to happen in late January 2021, Jansen will apply to the FDA if they found the single-dose vaccine effective. 

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Will grandparents be safe to visit their grandchildren after getting the vaccine? 

Although the vaccines showed 90 to 95 percent efficacy, experts recommend that grandparents not visit their grandchildren yet. Dr. Leana Wen, a CNN medical specialist, noted that someone who has received the vaccine could still contract the virus. 

She explained that the community transmission rate is still high, given that many parts of the country are still undergoing substantial surges of infection. Apart from that, she said that the vaccine has not yet shown a reduction in the transmission of the deadly virus. 

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Since you are not aware if anyone could be carriers of the virus, it would be safer to follow the safety protocols to be sure. You might be safe after getting the vaccine, but you could still be carriers, said Dr. Wen. 

That said, you could spread the coronavirus to your loved ones if you visit them. It means that there is some level of risk, so it would be better to stay at least six feet away from each other.