23rd August, 2021
Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine on Monday got the full approval of the U.S.Food and Drug Administration.
It was the first such approval of a COVID-19 shot.
The vaccine has now been greenlighted to be used for people aged 16 and older.
The approval is expected to trigger a new wave of vaccine mandates as the Delta variant batters the country.
“The FDA’s approval of this vaccine is a milestone as we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic,” acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock said in a statement.
“While millions of people have already safely received COVID-19 vaccines, we recognize that for some, the FDA approval of a vaccine may now instill additional confidence to get vaccinated.”
The vaccine was authorized for emergency use since December and more than 204 million people in the United States have received it, based on Sunday’s data.
But none of the three authorized COVID-19 vaccines had previously received full FDA approval.
Public health officials hope it will convince more unvaccinated Americans that Pfizer’s shot is safe and effective.
Vaccine hesitancy among some Americans has hindered the United States response to the novel coronavirus.
Roughly 51% of Americans have been fully vaccinated so far, even as a recent surge of infections spurred by the contagious Delta variant ravages parts of the country with low vaccination rates.