Sharp Drop In J&J Vaccine Delivery In The US Next Week: CDC Data

Washington, April 9 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 9th Apr, 2021 ) :Deliveries of the Johnson & Johnson Covid-19 vaccine in the United States are set to drop off sharply next week, health authorities said Friday, after one of the company's plants suffered severe disruption.

"We do expect week-to-week lower levels until the plant is approved by the FDA," said Jeff Zients, the White House coordinator for the response to the coronavirus outbreak, referring to the food and Drug Administration.

The number of J&J shots distributed to states will fall from 4.9 million in the week ending April 5 to just 700,000 by the week ending April 12, according to data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The company had promised to deliver "at or near" 100 million of its one-shot doses by the end of May, and Zients said it was still committed to meeting that target.

But last week it emerged that a batch of some 15 million doses had been accidentally spoiled at a plant in Baltimore.

Ingredients meant to be used in another vaccine, made by AstraZeneca, were mixed up with those destined for the J&J shot, The New York Times reported.