U.S. Surgeon General Says Johnson & Johnson Covid Vaccine Could Protect Against the Delta Variant

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy has said this week that Johnson & Johnson’s single one dose COVID-19 vaccine may protect against the deadly Delta variant of the virus.

Murthy pointed to data that showed the Oxford-AstraZeneca shot is highly effective against hospitalization from the more contagious variant.

“We have reasons to be hopeful, because the J&J vaccine has proven to be quite effective against preventing hospitalizations and deaths, with all the variants that we’ve seen to date,” Murthy told “The News with Shepard Smith.”

Murthy said people should think of the AstraZeneca vaccine “as a cousin” to J&J’s shot since it was “built on a similar platform.”

“While we are still awaiting direct studies of Johnson & Johnson and the delta variant, we have reasons to be hopeful, because the J&J vaccine has proven to be quite effective against preventing hospitalizations and deaths, with all the
variants that we’ve seen to date,” Murthy said.

The World Health Organization officials are urging fully vaccinated people to continue to wear masks, social distance and practice other pandemic-related safety measures as the delta variant spreads across the globe.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has left it up to states and local health officials to set guidelines around mask-wearing.

“The CDC, in its guidance, essentially, was giving people flexibility and choice but wanted people to know that, if you are fully vaccinated, your risk of getting this virus or passing it on is low, which is why it said masks are not required indoors or outdoors, if you are fully vaccinated,” Murthy explained.

Covid vaccines from Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech and Johnson & Johnson have all demonstrated to be highly effective in preventing Covid.

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