Johnson & Johnson claims that its single-dose Janssen vaccine against COVID-19 is effective against the Delta variant, which was first identified in India and is particularly contagious. The US pharmaceutical company claims the vaccine gives an immune response that can last at least eight months.
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In a study conducted by the US pharmaceutical company on a small number of eight people vaccinated with its vaccine, antibodies and cells in their immune system neutralised the Delta variant.
A second study of 20 vaccinated patients at Beth Israel Medical Center in Boston showed similar results. The data from these studies were submitted to the BioRxiv 'pre-publication' platform, where scientists can submit their work for possible publication in a scientific journal.
Paul Stoffels, Johnson & Johnson's chief scientific officer, quoted in a statement issued on Thursday evening (1 July), said :
We believe that our vaccine offers long-lasting protection against Covid-19 and neutralises the Delta variant.
A risk of a new wave according to the WHO
The data 'over the eight months studied so far' show that the single-dose vaccine developed by the laboratory 'produces a strong neutralising antibody response that does not diminish. We are even observing an improvement over time,' emphasised Mathai Mammen, Head of Research and Development at Johnson & Johnson.
The WHO warned on Thursday of the risk of a new wave of the pandemic carried by the Delta variant in Europe, at a time when it is launching its health pass in the hope of boosting tourism, while the number of cases is increasing at an 'alarming rate' in Africa.
Asia has not been spared: Bangladesh has been under lockdown since Thursday and restrictions have been announced for Saturday in Indonesia, in the face of a sharp rise in infections.
