There is finally an end to the coronavirus pandemic! On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration ruled that the COVID-19 vaccine created by the chemical company Johnson & Johnson's Covid-19 was safe and effective to use against the illness. It was deemed to be 72% effective in the US, but less so in other countries like South Africa, where new strains of the illness have been popping up. It is expected to be reviewed and permissible by the Vaccine and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC).
The company says that, should their vaccination be approved, they would be able to provide vaccines over the course of the next month. They would be able to create 20 million shots by the end of March and an additional 100 million through the summer months. Four other manufacturers of the vaccine have come forward to say that they will also be ramping up their production of the vaccine starting in mere weeks.
The shot is 72% effective in preventing moderate to severe Covid-19, and 85% effective at preventing severe disease. Essentially, it is likely to keep a patient out of the hospital and dying from the pandemic. No deaths were reported among participants, though many reported effects like arm pain, headaches, and fatigue.
Soon, everyone should be able to be back in the world again.