LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Johnson & Johnson released its results from its phase three vaccine trial on Friday.
The data shows that it does protect people against COVID-19, but it doesn't exactly mirror the other vaccines that are out now.
The effectiveness and the amount of shots needed is where Johnson & Johnson is a little different than Pfizer and Moderna.
But Dr. Joe Thompson, President and CEO of Arkansas Center for Health Improvement, said one thing that is the same, if it gets the greenlight from the FDA, it's another "offensive tool" in the fight against COVID-19.
"This is going to be one more advance that gives us more volume," he said.
While new variants arrive and cases continue, Johnson & Johnson reveals its vaccine is effective against COVID-19.
It's something Thompson said will only help more.
"It had an 85% effectiveness of keeping people from getting severe disease, and that's what we really want to do, is to keep people from having severe disease because of COVID," he said.
That number a little lower than the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, which are both in the 90 percentile, but Thompson believes Johnson & Johnson is still in the same ballpark as the first two.
Especially when you compare it to a vaccine, given yearly, that has 40% to 60% effectiveness.
"I think it is in the top tier of vaccines and it's going to be much more effective in helping us break the transmission from this virus than we get in the flu shot each year," he said.
One of the reasons this vaccine has been so highly anticipated is because it only requires one shot.
According to Thompson, that's because it uses a type of vaccine that's been around.
"It's a common cold virus that they put some of the COVID into, and that exposes your immune system," he said.
Another plus, it can be stored in normal refrigeration.
With no booster shot needed and easy distribution, Thompson said it can be more accessible to those harder to reach.
"Every one of those things helps it get to those that are most at risk and in the most rural kind of isolated parts of our state," he said.
Now that two vaccines are out and one is waiting on the sidelines, Dr. Thompson urges all Arkansans to take the first shot you're offered.
"All three of these vaccines are highly effective, if Johnson & Johnson's data holds up against the virus we have now, and keep you out of the hospital and out of some bad outcomes of this new virus," he said.
Now, Johnson & Johnson just has to wait for the FDA's approval.
Thompson believes if they get the thumbs up, we could see the vaccine in Arkansas by early March.