PA To Receive Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine This Week

PENNSYLVANIA — A third vaccine is now officially in the mix in the ongoing vaccination efforts in Pennsylvania, though details on how it will be allocated and how it will impact the state's plans remain unclear.

The single-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine, which received emergency use authorization Saturday by the Food and Drug Administration, will be shipped to Pennsylvania this week, officials confirmed. As of Tuesday, those doses have not yet been received.

"This is a very exciting and monumental week," Senior Health Adviser Lindsey Mauldin said during a news briefing Tuesday.

However, state officials have not said publicly how many doses are expected in these initial shipments, nor have they elaborated on exactly how these doses will be used.

"We will be saying more later this week ... all of these specifics will be addressed later this week," Mauldin said, while acknowledging that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine "will certainly increase" the number of weekly doses received by the state. A total of 526,280 doses were received this week, marking the second straight week that the state has received its highest allocation yet.

The state Department of Health is working with the bipartisan legislative task force and the Pennsylvania Emergency Management Agency to develop their plans. They'll take into consideration guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as demographic specifics, in formulating their distribution efforts.

Officials at the county level suggested last week that this single-dose vaccine would be prioritized for vulnerable residents who might face significant challenges in coming back for a second dose. That includes the disabled, the elderly and the homeless.

"In the short term, this does not solve the (shortage) issue," Mauldin added.

The Johnson & Johnson shipments mark the third coronavirus vaccine being introduced in the state. Until now, the immunization effort has been executed using two vaccines, which each require two doses: Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.

For more information on the COVID-19 vaccination in Pennsylvania, visit Patch's information hub.