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Up until this point, over 200 million doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine have been administered in the United States on a voluntary basis. This was due to the vaccine only being authorized for emergency use by the FDA to combat the pandemic while further studies were conducted. Recent data has now confirmed the safety and effectiveness of the Pfizer vaccine in fighting COVID-19, leading to full approval by the FDA.
Today, the FDA has officially approved the Pfizer vaccine for widespread use. Although the vaccine will still be available for voluntary use at pharmacies on an emergency basis, institutions like businesses, schools, and government agencies can now require employees to be vaccinated with Pfizer.
Janet Woodcock, the acting commissioner of the FDA, stated, “The public can be very confident that this vaccine meets the high standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality required by the FDA for an approved product.”
Regarding the FDA approval, the agency said, “While millions have already received COVID-19 vaccines safely, the FDA’s approval of a vaccine may boost confidence in getting vaccinated for some individuals. This milestone brings us closer to changing the course of the pandemic in the US.”
Breaking News: The Pentagon will mandate Covid vaccines for 1.4 million active duty U.S. service members, following the FDA approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech shot. Follow for updates: https://t.co/SjdvX8Iwhb
— The New York Times (@nytimes) August 23, 2021
“Today, the US Food and Drug Administration approved the first COVID-19 vaccine,” the FDA stated. “The vaccine, previously known as the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 Vaccine, will now be marketed as Comirnaty, for preventing Covid-19 disease in individuals aged 16 and older.
“The vaccine remains available under emergency use authorization (EUA) for individuals aged 12 to 15 and for administering a third dose to certain immunocompromised individuals.”
