Johnson & Johnson Says COVID Booster Dose Increases Virus Antibodies

Abooster of Johnson & Johnson's (J&J) one-shot coronavirus vaccine offers a stronger immune response months after people receive their first dose, the company said Tuesday.

In a statement, J&J said an extra dose either two months or six months after the initial shot increased defense against the virus. The results, however, have not yet been peer reviewed or published, the Associated Press reported.

The J&J vaccine, considered an important weapon against COVID-19 for its one-shot protection, started running a global test to see whether two doses could improve its effectiveness as the U.S. began distributing vaccines to the public.

Dr. Paul Stoffels, J&J's chief scientific officer, said in a statement that "a booster shot further increases protection against COVID-19 and is expected to extend the duration of protection significantly."