Governor Ricketts’ talks Johnson & Johnson vaccine

This event was previously live-streamed and has since ended.

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Governor Pete Ricketts will be live, giving another update on the COVID-19 vaccine plan and the state of the pandemic in Nebraska. Tune in at 10 a.m. to watch the full conference.

As of Friday morning, Governor Ricketts says Nebraska is on a positive trend with 31% of our hospital beds available, 34% of our ICU beds, and 79% of our ventilators. So far, 397,000 vaccines have been distributed across the state.

On the topic of COVID vaccines, Nebraska anxiously awaits the FDA’s decision on whether the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will receive Emergency Authorization.

Ricketts said the State is “very excited to have another vaccine from Johnson &Johnson. We’re being told that if Johnson & Johnson gets the Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA- which seems likely here because the data all looks very good- that they’ll be able to deliver a couple million doses across the country here as early as next week.”

Johnson & Johnson says they would expect to have 20 million doses out by March and 100 million out by June. Added to the Moderna and Pfizer doses Nebraska is projected to get, the cornhusker state will see 240 million doses by the end of March.

When asked- if authorized- whether the Johnson & Johnson vaccine will go to those 65 years and older “even those it’s less effective,” Ricketts said yes.

“I would say that while you’re looking at the effectiveness against the disease, it’s very effective and to the hospital and 100% effective- is my understanding- on preventing you from dying,” said Ricketts. “And Dr. Anton is saying that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine is just as effective.”