February 24, 2021 – Johnson & Johnson earlier this week announced it plans to have enough doses of its vaccine for more than 20 million Americans by the end of March if its vaccine is authorized by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
An FDA advisory committee is meeting Friday to consider the application, and emergency authorization could come soon after, the company says.
If approved, the vaccine would join the COVID-19 vaccines already in use from Pfizer and Moderna.
However, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, unlike those from Pfizer and Moderna, requires only one dose, which means that 20 million doses would completely vaccinate 20 million people.
The company also said it remains on pace to have 100 million doses by the end of the first half of the year.
The doses from Johnson & Johnson, assuming FDA authorization, can help speed the vaccination program by adding to doses already available from Pfizer and Moderna, and needing just one dose can simplify the process.
Separately, Pfizer is also ramping up its supply. John Young, the company’s chief business officer, said that the company will be able to increase production to 13 million doses per week by the middle of March, up from 4 to 5 million per week at the beginning of February.
The company says it remains on track for 120 million doses by the end of March and 200 million doses by the end of May.