National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has granted conditional emergency use authorisation for Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) COVID-19 vaccine in Nigeria.
It is the third COVID-19 vaccine recommended for administration in the county.
NAFDAC director-general, Prof. Moji Adeyeye, in a statement she issued yesterday in Abuja, said unopened vaccine vials can be stored and/or transported frozen at -25°C to – 15°C for up to 24 months and three months when stored at 2 to 8°C.
Adeyeye said after a thorough evaluation, the NAFDAC Vaccine Committee concluded that the data on it were robust and met the criteria for efficacy, safety and quality.
She said the data also showed that the vaccine’s known and potential benefits outweigh its known and potential risks thereby supporting the manufacturer’s recommended use.
“The Janssen COVID-19 vaccine is administered as a single dose. Results from a clinical trial involving people in the United States (US), South Africa and Latin American countries found that the Janssen COVID-19 vaccine was effective at preventing COVID-19 in people from 18 years of age.