The Johnson & Johnson vaccine against COVID-19 is significantly less effective against variants compared to the two other COVID-19 vaccines approved for use in the United States, a pre-print study by scientists from the New York University School of Medicine suggests.
According to the paper’s summary, the antibodies elicited by the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines “showed modest neutralization resistance against Beta, Delta, Delta plus and Lambda variants.” In contrast, the antibodies generated in response to the Johnson & Johnson vaccine had “significantly decreased neutralization.”
“The data underscore the importance of surveillance for breakthrough infections that result in severe COVID-19 and suggest the benefit of a second immunization following [the Johnson & Johnson vaccine] to increase protection against the variants,” the study states.
The Epoch Times contacted Johnson & Johnson for comment.
The study has not been peer-reviewed and should not be used to guide health behavior or viewed as conclusive. It was published two days after Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett announced that Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine is “significantly less” effective against the Delta variant.
“We do not know exactly to what degree the vaccine helps, but it is significantly less,” Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett told reporters and cabinet members on July 17.
The CDC estimated earlier this month that the Delta variant of the CCP virus accounts for more than half of all active cases. The CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus is the pathogen that causes COVID-19.
Some locales, including Los Angeles County, revived indoor mask mandates following an increase in new COVID-19 cases across the United States. White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki told reporters on Tuesday that the federal government is not currently following suit.
“We know that some employers, hospitals, health systems, colleges, and universities—which we’ve seen put in place mask mandates—some large and small employers have chosen to take this step. That’s entirely appropriate,” Psaki said.
“That’s their decision to make. That’s not an initiative where we’re instituting from the federal government, but we know that companies, private-sector employees, health institutions, educational institutions will take steps in order to keep the people in their community safe.”
The CDC has not changed its guidance and continued to advise that fully vaccinated people don’t have to wear masks indoors and in most other settings.
Jack Phillips contributed to this report.
From The Epoch Times
