Colorado to Receive Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation

02 Mar Colorado to Receive Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine Allocation

San Miguel Public Health announces that Janssen, owned by Johnson & Johnson, approved for Emergency Use Authorization.

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Janssen Pharmaceuticals, owned by parent company Johnson and Johnson, has developed a single-dose vaccine for COVID-19 approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Saturday for use in those 18 years of age and older.

On March 1 the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) confirmed that Colorado should receive its first allotments of Janssen’s COVID-19 vaccine this week. The state expects 45,500 doses in the first order in time for Phase 1B.3 of vaccine eligibility. Of this allotment, San Miguel County Public Health is expected to receive 500 doses. The state mentioned that this order and its expected allocation are estimates until the doses have been received.

“We are thrilled to be able to distribute a third safe and effective vaccine in the state of Colorado,” said Dr. Eric France, chief medical officer, Colorado Department Public Health Environment in a press release. “The authorization of the Janssen vaccine will make it easier for the state to reach its vaccination goals as more people become eligible in the weeks to come. When it’s your turn to get a vaccine — whether it’s Moderna, Pfizer, or Janssen — I hope you choose to get it. With every dose administered, we are all safer and closer to ending this crisis.”

The Janssen vaccine is a modified adenovirus vaccine, which means it uses a piece of double-stranded DNA to teach your body how to fight COVID-19. The mRNA vaccines, like the Pfizer and Moderna injections, use single-stranded mRNA. The goal of each vaccine, however, is the same; the mode of training the body is the difference.

“The Janssen vaccine is a game-changer. Not only because it is single dose, but also it can be stored in a standard refrigerator,” said Public Health Director Grace Franklin. “This makes shipment and storage much less complicated when considering distribution. It adds a second option for rural communities, like ours, that do not have the ultra-cold storage needed for the Pfizer vaccine.”

President Biden announced today, March 2, that pharmaceutical giant Merck, a common producer of vaccines like those for measles, mumps and rubella, will help finish the final stage of production for Johnson & Johnson’s single-shot coronavirus vaccine, which involves placing the vaccine in vials and packaging for shipping. This partnership is expected to augment production and distribution of the single-shot vaccine, enabling more rapid distribution.

Public Health has confirmed six new positive cases of COVID-19 from test results received from February 26 through March 1. Of these cases, five are confirmed as residents and all actively contagious cases are currently in isolation.

As of release time today, there have been 824 total COVID cases among residents to date, with 7 active cases.

To learn more about the county’s wastewater data and current COVID-19 metrics, please visit the County COVID-19 dashboard.

Five Commitments of Containment:

Wear a mask
Maintain six feet of physical distance
Minimize group size
Wash hands frequently
Stay home when sick and get tested