February 28th, 2021 by WCBC Radio
During Friday’s briefing, Governor Jim Justice announced that West Virginia officials expect to receive an initial weekly allotment of approximately 15,000 doses of the new Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, pending U.S. FDA authorization of the vaccine for emergency use.
West Virginia could receive its first shipment of the new vaccine as soon as next week.
Following the Governor’s briefing Friday afternoon, the FDA’s independent advisory committee met to discuss Johnson & Johnson’s request for Emergency Use Authorization (EUA). While the committee voted in favor of recommending that the FDA approve the EUA, that final step has not been taken yet, meaning that the FDA has not yet granted authorization for emergency use for Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine.
“If this comes to pass, next week our total doses in West Virginia should approach 60,000 between Johnson & Johnson, Moderna, and Pfizer combined,” Gov. Justice said. “That’s great, great news and we’re ready for it.”
The Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires only one shot, unlike the two-shot dosing for the vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna and it does not require special refrigeration for shipment and storage, making it particularly appealing for use in West Virginia’s rural areas.
