The European Medicines Agency (EMA) of the European Union has approved single shot Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine, as it met the safety and quality criteria for people in the age group of 18 years and above in the European Union.
Around 200 million doses of Johnson and Johnson vaccine has been ordered by European Union.
The approval from European Medicines Agency (EMA) gives 27 nations of European union a fourth licensed vaccine to try to curb the pandemic amid the drive in the bloc.
The block has had a slow start in rolling out vaccines compared with the U.K. after AstraZeneca, Moderna and Pfizer Johnson and Johnson Jab is the fourth to be endorsed.
Ursula von der Leyen, the president of European Commission tweeted that
“More safe and effective vaccines are coming to the market” were heading to Europe.
Countries like Canada, Bahrain and America has also approved the Jab, while South Africa is still waiting for approvals.
The UK has ordered 30 million doses, pending approval by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), with the option of millions more.
Distribution, storage and handling is much easier when compared to other vaccines as it costs $10 a dose cheaper than most vaccines and it needs to be kept at fridge temperature.
In a statement the European regulator said the vaccine was about 67% effective overall and also said the symptoms were mild or moderate and stopped with in couple of days.
The firm plans to make about one billion doses this year but is currently facing production delays in the U.S and Europe.
Sanofi the French company said that it would be able to produce 12 million doses of the Vaccine at one of its sites.
