Key TakeawaysThe FDA recently limited its use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine. It is only authorized for certain people.Experts say the J&J vaccine can benefit people allergic to mRNA vaccines like Pfizer or Moderna and people with religious/social objections.It’s essential to have different vaccine options to reach more people, especially those with health restrictions to currently available vaccines.

Key Takeaways

The FDA recently limited its use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine. It is only authorized for certain people.Experts say the J&J vaccine can benefit people allergic to mRNA vaccines like Pfizer or Moderna and people with religious/social objections.It’s essential to have different vaccine options to reach more people, especially those with health restrictions to currently available vaccines.

The FDA said the restriction was due to the risk of a rare and life-threatening blood clot called thrombosis with thrombocytopenia syndrome (TTS) after receiving the vaccine.

However, the agency said people who had a severe allergic reaction to an mRNA vaccine or personal concerns about the mRNA vaccine may still get a J&J shot. With the new limits placed on J&J, experts say it’s important for the FDA to authorize other COVID-19 vaccines likeNovavaxandSanofi/GSKto offer more options beyond mRNA.

What Is Anaphylaxis?Anaphylaxis is a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. The most common allergens that can trigger anaphylaxis are foods, insect bites, medications, and latex.

What Is Anaphylaxis?

Anaphylaxis is a severe and potentially life-threatening allergic reaction. The most common allergens that can trigger anaphylaxis are foods, insect bites, medications, and latex.

5 Experts Explain mRNA Vaccines for Non-Science People

What Makes J&J Vaccines Different from mRNA Vaccines?The mRNA technology teaches the cell to create a protein that can trigger a response in the immune system. Unlike mRNA vaccines, J&J uses viral vectors that are genetically altered to produce an immune response, but they do not cause illness, Boden-Albala said. The viral vectors are a modified, non-harmful version of the virus that delivers instructions to the cells. This then triggers the immune system to produce antibodies to fight off an infection.Some Ebola vaccines have also used viral vector technology, and there are ongoing studies of using viral vector vaccines against other infectious diseases such as Zika, flu, and HIV.

What Makes J&J Vaccines Different from mRNA Vaccines?

The mRNA technology teaches the cell to create a protein that can trigger a response in the immune system. Unlike mRNA vaccines, J&J uses viral vectors that are genetically altered to produce an immune response, but they do not cause illness, Boden-Albala said. The viral vectors are a modified, non-harmful version of the virus that delivers instructions to the cells. This then triggers the immune system to produce antibodies to fight off an infection.Some Ebola vaccines have also used viral vector technology, and there are ongoing studies of using viral vector vaccines against other infectious diseases such as Zika, flu, and HIV.

The mRNA technology teaches the cell to create a protein that can trigger a response in the immune system. Unlike mRNA vaccines, J&J uses viral vectors that are genetically altered to produce an immune response, but they do not cause illness, Boden-Albala said. The viral vectors are a modified, non-harmful version of the virus that delivers instructions to the cells. This then triggers the immune system to produce antibodies to fight off an infection.

Some Ebola vaccines have also used viral vector technology, and there are ongoing studies of using viral vector vaccines against other infectious diseases such as Zika, flu, and HIV.

More Vaccine Options Are Needed

Boden-Albala said the recent restrictions on the J&J vaccine call for a more speedy authorization ofNovavaxandSanofi/GSK, two non-mRNA vaccine candidates.

BothNovavaxand Sanofi/GSK have recently requested emergency use authorization of their COVID-19 vaccine. They are both protein-based vaccines,which are similar to vaccines used to protect against thefluand those used in routine childhood vaccinations like those that protect againstmeningococcalinfection, Boden-Albala said.

Types of COVID-19 Vaccines

“We’re still learning more about the Novavax and Sanofi/GSK vaccines, but early research suggests that it may have some advantages over existing COVID-19 vaccines in some cases,” Boden-Albala said. “One distinct advantage is its ability to be more easily stored and transported than its viral vector and mRNA counterparts since it can be stored in standard vaccine fridges.”

It is important to have different vaccine options, especially for people who cannot have the mRNA vaccine due to medical reasons like allergies or for those who struggle with access, saidNiket Sonpal, MD, an adjunct professor of clinical medicine at the Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine in Harlem.

Having different vaccine options can also be beneficial for people who may have vaccine distrust toward certain vaccines, Sonpal added.

“There’s a lot of misinformation across the Internet, so it’s always good to have an alternative,” Sonpal said. “But again, there are side effects with everything, though rare, it is important for the population to know about it.”

Boden-Albala said expanding access to mRNA vaccines and other vaccine options nationwide can potentially reach more people to help prevent the risk of infection and severe disease.

“The risks associated with COVID-19 infection are vast and can be severe—often much more so than any of the known or potential risks of the vaccines—so we need to prevent disease as much as possible,” Boden-Albala said. “Providing options is one way to do that.”

What This Means For YouEven though the FDA is scaling back the use of the J&J COVID vaccine, it is still an option, especially for people who are allergic or have limited access to the Pfizer or Moderna mRNA vaccines.

What This Means For You

Even though the FDA is scaling back the use of the J&J COVID vaccine, it is still an option, especially for people who are allergic or have limited access to the Pfizer or Moderna mRNA vaccines.

The information in this article is current as of the date listed, which means newer information may be available when you read this. For the most recent updates on COVID-19, visit ourcoronavirus news page.

2 SourcesVerywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Understanding viral vector COVID-19 vaccines.Australian Government Department of Health.Nuvaxovid (Novavax).

2 Sources

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Understanding viral vector COVID-19 vaccines.Australian Government Department of Health.Nuvaxovid (Novavax).

Verywell Health uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Understanding viral vector COVID-19 vaccines.Australian Government Department of Health.Nuvaxovid (Novavax).

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.Understanding viral vector COVID-19 vaccines.

Australian Government Department of Health.Nuvaxovid (Novavax).

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