Omikron: Booster vaccination with Johnson & Johnson - This is how effective the vaccine is

Created: 12/31/2021, 5:03 PM

From: Tobias Utz

A nurse gives the Johnson & Johnson vaccine.

(Archive photo) © Wolfgang Kumm / dpa

The recommendations for the corona vaccine from Johnson & Johnson vary.

But how does the vaccine actually work against the Omicron variant? 

Johannesburg - The highly infectious Omicron variant * of the coronavirus is currently spreading in Germany.

The latest mutation of Sars-CoV-2 is considered highly infectious.

Against this background, booster vaccinations are currently gaining additional importance.

Because the third vaccination can provide protection against Omikron.

However, it depends on the respective corona vaccine *.

A study examined the best booster combinations. * In addition to vaccines such as those from Biontech / Pfizer * or Moderna *, the drug from the US manufacturer Johnson & Johnson * was also used in Germany.

Researchers from South Africa have now investigated how effective the J&J vaccine is against the Omicron variant.

Omicron: J&J vaccine works against variant

The preliminary results of the analysis clearly show that a booster vaccination with the vaccine protects relatively well against the corona mutation *. The agent is certified to have an effectiveness of around 85 percent. In this context, it is important that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is a so-called vector vaccine, which is simply administered once, in contrast to mRNA vaccines which are injected twice. The booster vaccination with J&J is therefore the second vaccination.

According to the Medical Research Council of South Africa, which is behind the study, the booster vaccination with the American vaccine was tested on 69,000 people.

The test subjects were all medical personnel.

Your immune system was examined at a time when the omicron proportion among corona infections in South Africa was around 98 percent (November 15 to December 20).

In Germany, citizens are currently being called on to be boosted.

(Symbol photo) © Christoph Hardt / Imago Images

Corona vaccination: Johnson & Johnson vaccine relevant for developing countries

However, the results of the study have not yet been reviewed by outside researchers.

They are therefore not yet used for medical recommendations.

The fact that Johnson & Johnson's vaccine is a vector vaccine makes it particularly interesting for developing countries. In their study, the researchers emphasized that countries on the African continent in particular can benefit greatly from the findings. J&J scientist Mathai Mammen said the study shows that the vaccine “remains strong and stable over time, even against circulating variants like Omikron and Delta”.

A small study by the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston suggests that a booster vaccination with the J&J vaccine after two doses of Biontech / Pfizer could offer more protection against serious Covid-19 diseases than three doses of Biontech / Pfizer . After three doses of Biontech / Pfizer, the antibodies increased significantly, but decreased again within a few weeks. After a J&J booster vaccination, however, the level of the antibodies was significantly higher after four weeks, the study authors described. However, only 65 subjects were involved in the study.

Compared to the researchers mentioned, a US agency does not recommend the vaccine from Johnson & Johnson. * The vaccine is to blame for numerous deaths, it said.

(tu / AFP)