Baton Rouge / louisianaradionetwork.com Jan 29, 2021 2:27 PM Johnson and Johnson announced today that its one-dose COVID vaccine offers strong protection from the virus with an international average efficacy of 66%. Assistant Dean for Translational Science at LSU Health New Orleans School of Medicine, Doctor Lucio Miele, says however in the U-S the efficacy rate is 72% and only 57% in South Africa. In addition to being only one injection, Miele says the J&J vaccine does not require cold storage making it ideal for rural areas and for those with access to care issues. Miele says while the vaccine has a 66-percent efficacy rate of preventing moderate to severe illnesses like pneumonia or other breathing difficulties the efficacy of preventing serious illness is 85-percent.