Johnson & Johnson's COVID Vaccine Is Effective Against The Delta Variant, Studies Find

Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 vaccine offers strong protection against the delta variant of the coronavirus, the company said Thursday. And the protection appears to last at least eight months.

The results follow similar announcements about the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, in the fight against the fast-spreading delta strain.

In one small laboratory study, researchers observed what happened to the blood of eight vaccinated individuals when it was exposed to the delta variant. And they found that antibodies and immune system cells in the blood were highly effective at neutralizing the virus.

A second study involving 20 patients at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston showed similar results.

J&J also notes the vaccine continued to be effective over the eight months it has been studied in recipients. In fact, Dr. Mathai Mammen, the company's global head of research and development says the vaccine elicits a "strong neutralizing antibody response that does not wane; rather, we observe an improvement over time."

Both studies have been submitted but not yet been published in a peer-reviewed publication. [Copyright 2021 NPR]