J&J Vaccines Ship Out, People Can Get Them Within Days

Americans awaiting the new COVID-19 vaccine from Johnson & Johnson won't have to wait long. According to the company's CEO, four million doses of the new vaccine have already been shipped and are expected to be available Wednesday.

Johnson & Johnson CEO Alex Gorsky told NBC's Today show Monday that the vaccine is "on the trucks as we're talking." He later added that within 24-48 hours, "Americans should start receiving shots in arms."

Gorsky said 100 million shots are expected to be distributed by June, and up to a billion should be available by the end of 2021. Unlike the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, the Johnson & Johnson vaccine requires just a single dose. (Pfizer and Moderna consist of two shots apiece.)

So a billion doses of Johnson & Johnson would give a billion people the opportunity to be vaccinated.

"The vaccine, which the Food and Drug Administration granted emergency use authorization to on Saturday, is also the easiest to store, as it can be kept in a refrigerator rather than a freezer," NBC News reported.

Studies revealed that Johnson & Johnson's vaccine is 66 percent effective overall, works 85 percent of the time against severe disease, and is 100 percent effective in preventing hospitalization and death.