Expert unsure J&J will help raise vaccination rates in B.C.

Posted November 10, 2021 6:16 am.

Last Updated November 10, 2021 6:18 am.

There’s a last ditch effort to get people in B.C. who are still unvaccinated against COVID-19 to finally roll up their sleeves, but at least one expert isn’t sure it’ll make a real difference.

A limited supply of the Janssen Johnson & Johnson shot will be rolled out in B.C. next week. The province has been pushing the federal government to get some stock of the single-dose vaccine to hopefully appease those who still have hesitations about mRNA shots, like the Pfizer and Moderna ones.

However, Horacio Bach, an clinical assistant professor in the Division of Infectious Diseases at UBC, says he’d be surprised if we saw a huge change in the vaccination rates with the arrival of J&J.

“It’s hard to predict. The difference is that the J&J is one-dose compared to two doses, so maybe some people they don’t want to get vaccinated, or for X, Y reason they don’t like or they have fear of needles. So maybe they will be more prone to get the vaccine,” he explained.

But at the end of the day, he notes it’s still a vaccine, and if you’re against vaccines it’s unlikely you’d change your mind regardless.

“I don’t know and probably nobody knows how many people will be willing to get (the vaccine) because it’s Johnson & Johnson compared to Moderna or Pfizer,” he told CityNews.

“I will be surprised if you’ll see a huge change to vaccinations, unless I’m wrong. But if you didn’t get the vaccine with the others — Pfizer or Moderna — I don’t see why you would take J&J, if you’re against that.”

Despite his doubts, Bach is still hopeful he’s wrong, especially when it comes to unvaccinated health care workers — who will be getting first dibs on the one-shot drug.

Health care workers are required by provincial health order to be vaccinated to work in acute care, long-term care, and assisted living. They had until Oct. 26 to get a jab, with those who didn’t placed on leave. Those who continue to dig their heels in have until Nov. 15 to get their first dose. The J&J shot would offer these people the opportunity to be one-and-done.

He stresses the importance of vaccines, especially when it comes to protecting our most vulnerable.

Provincial Health Officer Dr. Bonnie Henry suggested on Tuesday that “a couple of thousands” of people have reached out to her in hopes of receiving the Johnson & Johnson shot, saying the one-dose vaccine is the only one they’re willing to get.

The J&J vaccine uses the more traditional viral vector technology as opposed to mRNA, which seems to be more attractive for some.

“So it’s the same class or type of vaccine as the AstraZeneca … but the trials were done as a single-dose vaccine. So it’s been widely used in the U.S. as a single-dose vaccine. And it has good, strong protection, about the same as the two doses of AstraZeneca over time,” she explained.

“Having said that, in the U.S., Johnson & Johnson has just got approval for a second dose as a booster dose. And it is recommended by the U.S. CDC that people who got the Johnson & Johnson vaccine do get a second dose of booster dose after six months. But it has not yet applied for that here in Canada.”

Related articles: B.C.’s top doctor says keep holiday gatherings small, expect J&J vaccine soon

Henry noted more options are likely to come in the months ahead, pointing to Novavax’s shot — a more traditional protein sub-unit-type vaccine — which she hopes will be available sometime in 2022, though no timeline has been confirmed.

B.C.’s COVID-19 case count remains steady, with 500 new infections reported Tuesday.

Keep it Factual

Add CityNews Vancouver as a trusted source on Google to see more local stories from us.