Johnson & Johnson vaccine approved in Canada

Canadian health officials on Friday announced the approval of Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine.

At a media briefing in Ottawa, government officials said they have ordered 10 million doses, with the option to purchase 28 million more, with most expected to arrive by the end of September, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine is the fourth to be approved by Canada.

The vaccine does not require the same ultra-cold storage as other vaccines and can be stored at temperatures found in regular refrigerators. And unlike other vaccines in use, it requires only one dose instead of two.

However, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine does not have the same level of efficacy as the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last month formally approved Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine to be given to adults in the U.S. Nearly 3.9 million doses of the vaccine have been reported to start shipping across the country this week.