Duggan told a news conference on Thursday that although “Johnson & Johnson is a very good vaccine” the two from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna were “the best”.
“And I’m going to do everything in my power to make sure the people of Detroit get the best,” Duggan said.
The mayor also said that a day may come in March or April when every Moderna and Pfizer is dedicated, and we still have people who need a vaccine. And at that point, we’ll set up a Johnson & Johnson Center. do not see it in the next few weeks. ‘
The J&J vaccine has been found to be 72% effective in the US against moderate to severe infections by the virus, while the vaccination against Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech is above 94% against symptomatic infections. The J&J vaccine is 85% effective in preventing serious Covid-19 disease. In all trials for the three vaccines, no one who received the vaccine died from Covid-19 and no one was admitted to hospital once the vaccines were fully effective.
Experts have warned that comparing the percentages of effectiveness can be misleading. The trials were conducted at different times and the J&J vaccine was tested in South Africa after a more contagious new variant that also changes the immune response to vaccine spread widely.
“These are three extremely effective vaccines,” Fauci told CNN.
“If I had not been vaccinated now and I had the choice to get a J&J vaccine now or to wait for another vaccine,” Fauci said, “I would take the vaccine I would have available. , take as fast as possible for the simple reason I said a moment ago, we want to get as many people vaccinated as quickly and quickly as possible. ‘
Asked about Duggan’s comments, White House senior adviser on Covid-19 Andy Slavitt told CNN ‘there was a misunderstanding’ regarding the mayor’s remarks. “In fact, he is very keen on the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, and I think we will repeat the message that the first vaccine we get the chance to take is absolutely meaningful for all of us.”
In a statement released Friday morning, the mayor said he “has full confidence that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is safe and effective” and that he “now plans to make Johnson & Johnson an important part of our expansion of vaccination centers. to be. and look forward to receiving Johnson & Johnson vaccines in the next award. ‘
John Roach, a spokesman for the mayor, told CNN that “(w) if the state increases vaccine admissions to the point where the vaccine requirement exceeds the Moderna / Pfizer capacity at (the TCF Conference Center), Detroit is launching a second Web site that offers J&J vaccines. “
In a second press release on Friday, the mayor claimed that the city was already ‘very close to our capacity at our current location’ with the available vaccines Pfizer and Moderna. “By the time the next J&J consignment arrives, we will have our plan to make it available,” the statement said.
CNN’s Tara Subramaniam contributed to this article.