London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Tuesday, Jul 22, 2025

Johnson & Johnson Covid Booster Highly Effective Against Severe Omicron: Study

Johnson & Johnson Covid Booster Highly Effective Against Severe Omicron: Study

The South African Medical Research Council compared 69,000 health care workers who received two doses of the vaccine, based on viral vector technology, against a group of people who were unvaccinated.

A preliminary South African government study published Thursday showed a booster of the Johnson & Johnson Covid vaccine was 85 percent effective in preventing hospitalization from the Omicron variant, a finding that helps revive the shot's reputation.

The South African Medical Research Council compared 69,000 health care workers who received two doses of the vaccine, based on viral vector technology, against a group of people who were unvaccinated.

The research, which has not yet been peer reviewed, was conducted from November 15 to December 20, a time when the heavily-mutated Omicron variant increased from 82 to 98 percent of Covid-19 cases in the country.

When a booster shot was given six to nine months after the first dose, vaccine efficacy against hospitalization increased over time, from 63 percent at 0-13 days to 85 percent one to two months post-boost.

"This data is important given the increased reliance on the Ad26.COV.2 vaccine in Africa," wrote the authors, using the formal name for the J&J shot.

The result was also hailed by the company. In a statement, J&J scientist Mathai Mammen said it showed the vaccine "remains strong and stable over time, including against circulating variants such as Omicron and Delta."

Around half a million South African health staff have received Johnson jabs as part of clinical trials.

Africa's hardest-hit country, South Africa has recorded more than 3.4 million cases and 90,000 deaths since the start of the pandemic.

 T cells


An earlier South African study in December found that two doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine prevented hospital admissions by up to 70 percent. Results for three doses of that vaccine aren't yet known.

The news comes weeks after the United States formally recommended mRNA vaccines, made by Pfizer and Moderna, over the J&J shot, because of greater risks related to a rare form of blood clotting.

Preliminary lab studies had also shown that the J&J vaccine triggers fewer neutralizing antibodies -- Y-shaped proteins that block infection -- against the heavily mutated Omicron variant, compared to mRNA vaccines, and it was suggested that it would be less effective in real life too.

The reason it performs better in the real world than some expected could be it evokes a heightened response of another part of the immune system, known as cellular immunity.

A separate, small analysis carried out by the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston on 65 individuals found that a J&J booster on top of two doses of the Pfizer Covid vaccine might provide greater protection than three doses of the Pfizer vaccine.

Though antibody levels surged to high levels after three doses of Pfizer, they also waned within a few weeks, while they rose steadily after two Pfizer shots and a J&J shot, and were at higher levels after four weeks.

Boosting with the J&J vaccine also elicited a strong increase in "killer T cells."

Though they can't stop infection, killer T cells search for cells that have been infected with the virus and destroy them, helping prevent severe illness. They are able to withstand variants far better than antibodies.

Overall, the data might mean that mix-and-match boosting could provide stronger protection than continuing with the same vaccine, but the long term durability of both strategies needs further study, said J&J.

Comments

Anna 4 year ago
Not much sense commenting on panatimes as the erase ones that do not fit there ideas

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
US Treasury Secretary Calls for Institutional Review of Federal Reserve Amid AI‑Driven Growth Expectations
UK Government Considers Dropping Demand for Apple Encryption Backdoor
Severe Flooding in South Korea Claims Lives Amid Ongoing Rescue Operations
Japanese Man Discovers Family Connection Through DNA Testing After Decades of Separation
Russia Signals Openness to Ukraine Peace Talks Amid Escalating Drone Warfare
Switzerland Implements Ban on Mammography Screening
Japanese Prime Minister Vows to Stay After Coalition Loses Upper House Majority
Pogacar Extends Dominance with Stage Fifteen Triumph at Tour de France
CEO Resigns Amid Controversy Over Relationship with HR Executive
Man Dies After Being Pulled Into MRI Machine Due to Metal Chain in New York Clinic
NVIDIA Achieves $4 Trillion Valuation Amid AI Demand
US Revokes Visas of Brazilian Corrupted Judges Amid Fake Bolsonaro Investigation
U.S. Congress Approves Rescissions Act Cutting Federal Funding for NPR and PBS
North Korea Restricts Foreign Tourist Access to New Seaside Resort
Brazil's Supreme Court Imposes Radical Restrictions on Former President Bolsonaro
Centrist Criticism of von der Leyen Resurfaces as she Survives EU Confidence Vote
Judge Criticizes DOJ Over Secrecy in Dropping Charges Against Gang Leader
Apple Closes $16.5 Billion Tax Dispute With Ireland
Von der Leyen Faces Setback Over €2 Trillion EU Budget Proposal
UK and Germany Collaborate on Global Military Equipment Sales
Trump Plans Over 10% Tariffs on African and Caribbean Nations
Flying Taxi CEO Reclaims Billionaire Status After Stock Surge
Epstein Files Deepen Republican Party Divide
Zuckerberg Faces $8 Billion Privacy Lawsuit From Meta Shareholders
FIFA Pressured to Rethink World Cup Calendar Due to Climate Change
SpaceX Nears $400 Billion Valuation With New Share Sale
Microsoft, US Lab to Use AI for Faster Nuclear Plant Licensing
Trump Walks Back Talk of Firing Fed Chair Jerome Powell
Zelensky Reshuffles Cabinet to Win Support at Home and in Washington
"Can You Hit Moscow?" Trump Asked Zelensky To Make Putin "Feel The Pain"
Irish Tech Worker Detained 100 days by US Authorities for Overstaying Visa
Dimon Warns on Fed Independence as Trump Administration Eyes Powell’s Succession
Church of England Removes 1991 Sexuality Guidelines from Clergy Selection
Superman Franchise Achieves Success with Latest Release
Hungary's Viktor Orban Rejects Agreements on Illegal Migration
Jeff Bezos Considers Purchasing Condé Nast as a Wedding Gift
Ghislaine Maxwell Says She’s Ready to Testify Before Congress on Epstein’s Criminal Empire
Bal des Pompiers: A Celebration of Community and Firefighter Culture in France
FBI Chief Kash Patel Denies Resignation Speculations Amid Epstein List Controversy
Air India Pilot’s Mental Health Records Under Scrutiny
Google Secures Windsurf AI Coding Team in $2.4 Billion Licence Deal
Jamie Dimon Warns Europe Is Losing Global Competitiveness and Flags Market Complacency
South African Police Minister Suspended Amid Organised Crime Allegations
Nvidia CEO Claims Chinese Military Reluctance to Use US AI Technology
Hong Kong Advances Digital Asset Strategy to Address Economic Challenges
Australia Rules Out Pre‑commitment of Troops, Reinforces Defence Posture Amid US‑China Tensions
Martha Wells Says Humanity Still Far from True Artificial Intelligence
Nvidia Becomes World’s First Four‑Trillion‑Dollar Company Amid AI Boom
U.S. Resumes Deportations to Third Countries After Supreme Court Ruling
Excavation Begins at Site of Mass Grave for Children at Former Irish Institution
×