Few additional doses of J&J vaccine have made their way to the states since mid-June, despite reassurances from both public health authorities and the manufacturer that the vaccine is considered extremely safe and highly effective at keeping people from dying of COVID-19.

“It was a good option for us with our unsheltered folks,” said Dewey Wooden, director of behavioral health for the Health Care Center for the Homeless, which has been leading the vaccination effort at Central Florida shelters and homeless camps. “We didn’t have to worry about trying to track them down again for a second dose.”

The vaccine was also popular among busy working people and young adults, who figured it was an easier option. The Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, once offered up to 5,000 Johnson & Johnson shots a day at its Orlando site alone, no appointment needed. Some days they ran out.

“This is a vaccine that’s easy,” said Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security and infectious disease physician. “You can put it in mobile units. You can grab it and take it to someone’s house (for homebound patients). And there are some people who want the Johnson and Johnson vaccine because it uses different technology and just needs that single dose. All of that’s important.”