Doctors Say Newly-Approved Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 Vaccine Could Be Game-Changer

CHICAGO (CBS) -- The third COVID-19 vaccine, made by Johnson & Johnson, was headed to Chicago late Monday.

Shipments rolled out of Kentucky earlier in the day, and 83,000 doses will be in Illinois by Wednesday, and 22,000 of those are coming to Chicago. Vaccine trials were held in Chicago earlier.

Doctors told CBS 2's Jermont Terry on Monday why they support the single-dose vaccine.

Across Chicago, the mission and the goal are to get Chicagoans vaccinated against the novel coronavirus. For weeks, the Moderna and Pfizer doses were the only two options, and both require two shots.

But now, boxes filled with the Johnson & Johnson vaccine are ready and heading to Illinois, and the single vaccine shot could be administered by mid-week.

"We've been part of that at UIC and UI Health moving just the science forward quickly and safely," said Dr. Susan Bleasdale of UI Health.

Medical experts from the University of Illinois at Chicago helped out in Johnson & Johnson's clinical trial. Bleasdale considers it a game-changer – despite the Johnson & Johnson single shot having an efficacy rate of between 52 and 72 percent, compared with more like 95 percent for Pfizer and Moderna.

Dr. Bleasdale said the Johnson & Johnson vaccine still combats the most important factor of the virus.

"I think the most important is that the deaths and the severe disease that requires ICU hospitalization is decreased across all three of the current vaccine candidates that are available," Bleasdale said.

The United Center will turn into a mass-vaccination facility once the Johnson & Johnson vaccine arrives.

UI Health has already given out 42,000 vaccines alone since December at its facilities, and with the single dose on the way, Dr. Bleasdale expects those numbers to double, if not triple.

One appointment will make it a bit easier and will make for a faster rollout.

Experts emphasized that if you have the opportunity to get vaccinated by any of the three makers, don't miss out.

"It's important that when you are offered the vaccine, take advantage of the it," Bleasdale said. "The goal is to get as many people vaccinated and protected."

While the Johnson & Johnson shot may be less effective than Moderna and Pfizer, it has also shown great signs in fighting the various variants of COVID-19 since it got approved later.