Johnson & Johnson's Single-Dose COVID-19 Vaccine Is Now Approved By Health Canada

Approval of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine in Canada has officially been announced, and the vaccine only requires a single dose.

Health Canada gave the vaccine the green light on March 5 and said that it meets safety, effectiveness and quality requirements.

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It has been authorized for use in people over 18 years of age.

Unlike the Pfizer, Moderna and AstraZeneca vaccines, which require two doses, the J&J vaccine only requires one.

It can be stored in regular refrigerators from 2 C to 8 C for at least three months and Health Canada said that will help facilitate distribution across the country.

In January 2021, Johnson & Johnson released data that said the vaccine was 85% effective overall in preventing severe disease and had "complete protection" against COVID-19-related hospitalization and death 28 days after vaccination.

Also, it was 72% effective in the U.S. at preventing moderate to severe cases of COVID-19 after 28 days.

Canada has an agreement with Johnson & Johnson for up to 38 million doses, and since this is a single-dose vaccine, that would almost be enough to vaccinate the country's population.

Health Canada has a robust website with all the latest information on the vaccines and can answer any questions you may have. Click here for more information.