A Long Island hospital hit a new milestone in the Covid-19 vaccination process on Wednesday: giving out the first dose of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson vaccine.
Babylon resident Susan Maxwell-Trumble, 67, received the vaccine at Northwell Health’s South Shore University Hospital in Bay Shore after recovering from hip replacement surgery. Her vaccination comes nearly three months after Northwell administered the first Covid-19 vaccine in the country — outside of clinical trials — at Long Island Jewish Medical Center.
“I have a few pre-existing conditions,” Maxwell-Trumble said, “and this vaccine will allow me some more freedom in my life.”
Until Wednesday, only Pfizer and Moderna’s two-shot vaccines were being administered. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved Johnson & Johnson’s one-shot vaccine for emergency use on Feb. 27 and deliveries went out on Tuesday.
“The addition of a third vaccine adds another weapon to the arsenal in fighting Covid-19,” said Stephen Bello, a physician assistant and regional executive director of Northwell’s Eastern Region. “In preparation for this over the last 48 hours, we’ve been thinking about the last year in which we’ve battled Covid-19 every day. When this started there was really only one weapon to fight this virus; the hard work, knowledge and dedication of the health care community.”
Johnson & Johnson’s vaccine can also be stored at normal refrigerated temperatures and remains viable for up to three months, making it simpler to store, transport, and distribute.
The United States is using the Defense Production Act to equip drugmaker Merck & Co’s plants to make Johnson & Johnson’s 19 vaccine, White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Tuesday.
“As soon as we learned about the fact that Johnson & Johnson was behind in the manufacturing steps and efforts we took steps to ensure we can expedite that and partner them with one of the world’s biggest manufacturers,” Psaki told a White House briefing.
-With Reuters
For more coronavirus coverage, visit longislandpress.com/coronavirus.
