ANNAPOLIS, Md. (WJZ) – As states desperately wait for more doses of the limited coronavirus vaccine created by Pfizer and Moderna, Maryland government Larry Hogan hopes another company will soon begin manufacturing their version of their COVID-19 vaccine.
Government officials said one of the companies coming closer to production is Johnson & Johnson, which has a contract with Maryland-based Emergent BioSolutions for a covid-19 vaccine.
The University of Maryland School of Medicine David Marcozzi called the Johnson & Johnson vaccine a ‘game changer’ because it is a single dose. The current Pfizer and Moderna vaccines require two doses.
“There is good news because there are more COVID-19 vaccines coming closer to the authorization for use,” Marcozzi said. ‘The effectiveness data from Johnson and Johnson on COVID are expected to be available in a few weeks and shortly thereafter. [it] will be submitted to the FDA for consideration. The J&J vaccine is a single dose imaging with less cold change storage requirements. The authorization of this vaccine may therefore be a game changer. ”
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Officials say that once the FDA approves this vaccination, it will improve the availability of vaccines and help vaccination efforts, not only in Maryland, but across the country as well.
Emergent BioSolutions, based in Gaithersburg and Baltimore, will manufacture the vaccine here in Maryland. The company has contracts with Johnson & Johnson and AstraZeneca.
Hogan said once they have granted the FDA authorization, they will be able to ‘turn it around’.
The governor said he would speak to the chief executive soon and know more.
For the latest information on coronavirus, go to the Maryland Department of Health or call 211. You can get all the coverage of WJZ on coronavirus in Maryland here.