Johnson & Johnson on the leading edge of COVID-19 vaccine

Johnson & Johnson, a great New Jersey company and large local employer, announced this week that it is entering the final phase of a study for a COVID-19 vaccine. Two other U.S. companies have already entered the final stages of studies for a vaccine as well, Moderna Inc. and Pfizer Inc.

This is great news, not only for our own J&J, but for millions of people who want to know there is a vaccine to prevent the spread and avoid contracting this new and sometimes deadly virus. Some of us are thrilled that a vaccine is around the corner, not because we would be anywhere near a location where they're giving them, but to quell the panic and government control that the disease has brought.

When the disease first caused most of the country to shut down, some in authority said the only answer to this pandemic was a vaccine. The best estimates were anywhere between six months to a year. Thanks to the federal government cutting the red tape that usually makes suck a process and long drawn out ordeal, this could happen by next month, according to some estimates. Some survey indicate about a third of Americans say they would not get the vaccine if introduced anytime soon.

More recent surveys in the last week say that as many as one half of Americans would pass on the vaccine. You can definitely count me among those, but I wholeheartedly support anyone who wants to get it, and applaud companies like Johnson & Johnson for doing the research and hard work in getting this to market.

The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Dennis Malloy. Any opinions expressed are Dennis' own.