The emergence of the Omnicron variant and the new wave of COVID cases have piqued citizens’ interest in vaccinations and booster shots–particularly vaccinated individuals that originally received the Johnson and Johnson vaccination.
Dr. Anthony Fauci announced the Omnicron variant’s arrival to the United States yesterday via someone traveling from South Africa to Florida. The person was vaccinated but did not have a booster. The Omnicron variant contains mutations that could increase the virus’ transmissibility, which highlights the importance of vaccinations and booster shots, Fauci said.
Since the booster shot became available in November, vaccinations increased 11.
“The data did show that the Janssen vaccine, or the Johnson and Johnson vaccine as most people refer to it, is not as effective,” said Dr. Christopher Cooper, the Director of Operations for Heartland Pharmacies.
The University of Arkansas provided students with free vaccines at the onset of the vaccine rollout last spring. However, the university mostly provided students with the Janssen vaccine.
Sophia Ultes, a sophomore, and Audra Maxwell, who recently graduated, both received the Johnson and Johnson vaccine through Pat Walker Health Center at the University of Arkansas last spring. Ultes recently received the Moderna booster shot.
“I wanted to get the booster because I had the Johnson and Johnson, so I didn’t know how effective that was going to be after such a long time period,” Ultes said.
The Janssen vaccine itself is not the cause for speculation, rather its single-dose administration, Cooper explained.
“Where we really see improvement is with a second dose or when it comes to your immune system, that reintroduction,” Cooper said. “The first vaccine doses just provide initial protection, but reintroducing that into your immune system for a second time increases your immune response.”
The Johnson and Johnson vaccine concerned Maxwell, too, but she struggled to get time off of work to get a booster shot. She recently recovered from COVID for the second time, however, her first infection occurred months before vaccine distribution, Maxwell said. Though she had been vaccinated, she still had symptoms.
“I had a fever,” Maxwell said. “I did lose my taste and smell, but that was more towards the middle of my quarantine.” Her symptoms were not serious enough to require hospitalization, she explained.
Vaccines are not completely infallible, however, the vaccines are not meant to make individuals immune to the virus, Cooper explained.
“The goal with a vaccine and with this pandemic is to minimize hospitalizations and Covid-19 related deaths,” Cooper said. “There is a small chance that individuals may become infected after receiving either a two-dose regimen of a vaccine or even after receiving their booster…But the severity of that infection should be greatly diminished. Your likelihood of having to be hospitalized is greatly decreased, and your likelihood of mortality is also significantly decreased.”
Vaccine side-effects, such as arm soreness, tenderness at the injection site and common cold-like symptoms are normal, but they are not signs to worry, Cooper said.
The vaccine is not actually causing those symptoms, rather your immune system is recognizing the antigen, and “basically flaring up to try to boost that immune response,” Cooper explained.
Third doses, or booster shots, are now available for individuals 18 and older in Arkansas if six months have passed since receiving a second mRNA vaccine dose or two months have passed since receiving the Johnson and Johnson vaccine, Cooper said.