The former Food and Drug Administration commissioner said Sunday "more and more evidence" indicates COVID-19 vaccines are also "preventing transmission of infection."
Interviewed about the pandemic and coronavirus vaccines, Dr. Scott Gottlieb told CBS's “Face the Nation” he would have no problems receiving Johnson & Johnson's new vaccine.
"I think this is a good vaccine," Gottlieb said. "They'll ship about four million doses this week. The vaccine was very effective at preventing severe disease, 85 percent effective at preventing severe and critical disease."
Gottlieb then said the Johnson & Johnson vaccine was 74 percent effective in "preventing asymptomatic infection," calling it a "suggestion that it is preventing transmission as well."
Most public health experts have said fully vaccinated persons should continue to wear masks, employ social distancing, and continue practicing other public health measures because there had been no evidence vaccines would prevent transmission as well as infection.
Gottlieb, a Pfizer, Inc. board member, said the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccines also were showing effectiveness in preventing transmission.
The FDA granted emergency use approval of the one-dose Johnson & Johnson vaccine on Saturday.
A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advisory panel voted unanimously Sunday to recommend Johnson & Johnson's COVID-19 shot for widespread use, a final clearance for the vaccine.
The federal government, through distribution partner McKesson Corp., planned to ship the first shots Sunday night or Monday morning.
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