Johnson & Johnson applies for emergency use authorization for COVID-19 vaccine

Johnson & Johnson on Thursday applied for emergency use authorization from the Food and Drug Administration for its COVID-19 vaccine.

This is a single-dose vaccine that can be stored in a refrigerator. If approved, it will be the third coronavirus vaccine authorized for emergency use in the U.S., after the Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna products.

Last week, Johnson & Johnson said its vaccine is 66 percent effective against moderate to severe infections, while offering protection against hospitalization and death. It is less effective against the COVID-19 variant first discovered in South Africa.

The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

The FDA will now review the company's submission, and an authorization could come sometime in the next few weeks, Politico reports.