Reasons to get a specific Covid-19 vaccine now that the Johnson & Johnson (JnJ) vaccine is available in the US. I looked at the data presented to the FDA; this is my opinion.
1.) The Johnson & Johnson vaccine uses a different technology than the mRNA vaccine. This vaccine uses a modified human adenovirus that cannot infect the cell to carry the genetic information of the Covid-19 spike protein. This technology does not use polyethylene glycol so if your allergist has concerns about polyethylene glycol allergy, this would be a good vaccine for you. This may also be a vaccine for you if you have a lot of allergies to chemicals and were told not to get the other vaccines but see an allergist for advice.
2.) Are you 75 or older? A larger percentage of older individuals were studied with the mRNA vaccines so choose Pfizer or Moderna if you can. The JnJ vaccine was effective in this smaller subset so if you live in a very rural area and JnJ is the only vaccine available, get it.
3.) Do you have 2 or more high-risk medical conditions such as obesity, heart disease, high blood pressure, diabetes, or kidney disease? Having the booster dose with the mRNA vaccines, Pfizer and Moderna may boost your immunity more than the single-dose JnJ. If the JnJ vaccine is the only one you can get, it will prevent serious illness and death.
4.) Variants- currently it does not make a difference but may in the future so I will keep you posted.
5.) Important Point-The JnJ vaccine had very rare side effects, has good immunity at 28 days but continued to improve through 56 days, similar to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Continue to wear an N95 mask or a cloth covering over a surgical mask when in public. Some people who have been vaccinated can get mild cases of Covid-19 which can make you feel awful and who wants to feel awful? We are also still learning how many days you might be contagious if you are exposed to Covid-19 after getting the vaccine so continue to wear a mask in public.