WORLD – FDA grants full approval to Pfizer’s Covid vaccine

Source: NBC News – The Food and Drug Administration granted full approval to Pfizer-BioNTech’s two-dose vaccine Monday for people ages 16 and up, making it the first Covid-19 vaccine to pass this final regulatory hurdle.

“The FDA’s approval of this vaccine is a milestone as we continue to battle the Covid-19 pandemic,” acting FDA Commissioner Dr. 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. Today’s milestone puts us one step closer to altering the course of this pandemic in the U.S.”

Full approval may help persuade some vaccine-hesitant people to get vaccinated. A Kaiser Family Foundation survey from June found that 3 in 10 unvaccinated adults would be more likely to get the shots if a vaccine were fully approved.

Pfizer’s CEO, Albert Bourla, said he is hopeful that the approval will help increase confidence in the vaccine.

“Vaccination remains the best tool we have to help protect lives,” he said.