Johnson & Johnson said Wednesday that new data from early trials of a booster shot of its COVID-19 vaccine provides a "rapid and robust increase in spike-binding antibodies" that fight off the virus.

In a press release, the company noted that the antibody response provided by the single-shot vaccine was "strong and stable" eight months later. However, eyes are turning to booster shots as widespread vaccine use nears the one-year mark.

In its press release, Johnson & Johnson noted that a person who gets a booster shot saw a nine-fold increase in antibodies when compared to antibody response 28 days after an initial dose.

"With these new data, we also see that a booster dose of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine further increases antibody responses among study participants who had previously received our vaccine," said Dr. Mathai Mammen, the global head of Janssen Research & Development, Johnson & Johnson. "We look forward to discussing with public health officials a potential strategy for our Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine, boosting eight months or longer after the primary single-dose vaccination."

Earlier this month, top federal health officials recommended that Americans seek out a COVID-19 booster shot eight months after full vaccination. The booster shot program is slated to begin Sept. 20, pending approval from the Food & Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

In issuing a recommendation for booster shots, officials said that while all COVID-19 vaccines remain extremely effective in preventing instances of severe infection or death from the virus, there has been some data to show that those vaccinated are more susceptible to mild cases of the virus eight months after vaccination. They've also seen evidence that those vaccinated are more susceptible to unknowingly spreading the virus as time goes on.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine was granted emergency use authorization in late February, meaning booster shots for those who received the J&J vaccine would be available in late October if the FDA and the CDC ultimately approve them.

The Johnson & Johnson vaccine still only has emergency use approval from the FDA. Earlier this week, the agency granted full approval to the Pfizer vaccine — the first COVID-19 vaccine to receive such a designation.

WASHINGTON (AP) — U.S. health officials say Johnson & Johnson’s COVID-19 vaccine may pose a “small possible risk” of a rare but potentially dangerous neurological reaction.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said Monday that it has received reports of 100 people who got the shot developing an immune system disorder that can cause muscle weakness and occasionally paralysis.

The reports represent a tiny fraction of the nearly 13 million Americans who have received the one-dose vaccine.

The New York Times and The Washington Post report that the Food and Drug Administration is planning to warn that the J&J vaccine can lead to an increased risk of a rare neurological condition known as Guillain–Barré syndrome.

The Mayo Clinic describes the syndrome as a rare disorder in which your body’s immune system attacks your nerves. The organization said weakness and tingling in your extremities are usually the first symptoms, and that the sensations can quickly spread, eventually paralyzing your body.

The government said the vaccines most used in the U.S., made by Pfizer and Moderna, show no risk of the disorder.

CARSON CITY — During Wednesday’s public federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) meeting, the Nevada Department of Health and Human Services says it learned that a Nevadan was one of the six reported serious reactions to the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine.

The state of Nevada was not informed of the reported reaction until the live, public meeting on Wednesday, according to the Nevada Health Response team. At that time, it was reported that the person in Nevada is an 18-year-old woman who reported a blood clot and a hemorrhage without an immediate word of recovery.

On Tuesday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a joint statement recommending a pause in the use of the Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine while six serious reactions were investigated.

Also on Tuesday, the state of Nevada paused the use of the vaccine.

"Right now, the risk of death from the disease is very high. The risk of the vaccinations very, very low," said Dr. Brian Labus, an infectious disease epidemiologist at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. "We don't want to say that you shouldn't be concerned at all about it, of course; that's why we're looking into things, but we're talking about something that is a very rare event if it is indeed related to the vaccine.“

Following Wednesday’s ACIP announcement, the Nevada Health Response team says DHHS immediately reached out to federal partners for more information and to understand why the report was not provided to the state.

"Whether the case was identified in Nevada or California or Arizona, that still matters to everybody, not just Nevadans," Labus said. "We need to look at what happened nationwide. And is not like Nevada has a role in investigating that one case, this is something that needs to be investigated through the FDA the manufacture to make sure that the vaccine is safe to everyone nationwide."

As of Monday, more than 6.8 million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine had been administered in the United States.

Anyone who has received the Johnson & Johnson vaccine within the last month and develops a severe headache, abdominal pain, leg pain, or shortness of breath within three weeks after vaccination should contact their health care provider.

Health care providers are required to report adverse events to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System here.

This story was originally published by Jordan Gartner on KTNV in Las Vegas.