US Food And Drug Administration Gives Full Approval To Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine

Washington: The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Monday (August 23) gave full approval to Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine. The agency made the decision, giving the Pfizer-BioNTech shot the full go-ahead for patients aged 16 years or older. The vaccine still holds an emergency use authorization for those aged 12-15 and for a third booster shot, FDA said in a statement. “The FDA has officially approved the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine. While all three COVID vaccines have met FDA’s strict standards for emergency use, this FDA approval should give added confidence that this vaccine is safe and effective,” US President Joe Biden said in a tweet.

Also Read: Covid Vaccination: WHO Head Calls For Two-Month Vaccine Booster Moratorium

Meanwhile, acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock also said that “the public can be very confident that this vaccine meets the high standards for safety, effectiveness and manufacturing quality the FDA requires of an approved product.”

The shot will now be known under the name Comirnaty. The decision “will help increase confidence in our vaccine, as vaccination remains the best tool we have to help protect lives,” Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said in a statement.

This “milestone puts us one step closer to altering the course of this pandemic in the US,” he added.

The Biden administration is also preparing to roll out an expansive booster-shot campaign next month, offering a third shot to patients who received the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. As the highly infectious Delta variant spreads, the US is experiencing a surge in Covid-19 cases. Many southern states are struggling for hospital capacity amid resistance from Republican leaders and the public to vaccinations and mask mandates. The overwhelming majority of Covid hospitalizations and deaths in the US are among unvaccinated people.

Also Read: Pfizer, AstraZeneca COVID Vaccines Less Effective Against Delta Variant: Oxford-Led Study

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

NDTV – Dettol Banega Swasth India campaign is an extension of the five-year-old Banega Swachh India initiative helmed by Campaign Ambassador Amitabh Bachchan. It aims to spread awareness about critical health issues facing the country. In wake of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the need for WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) is reaffirmed as handwashing is one of the ways to prevent Coronavirus infection and other diseases. The campaign highlights the importance of nutrition and healthcare for women and children to prevent maternal and child mortality, fight malnutrition, stunting, wasting, anaemia and disease prevention through vaccines. Importance of programmes like Public Distribution System (PDS), Mid-day Meal Scheme, POSHAN Abhiyan and the role of Aganwadis and ASHA workers are also covered. Only a Swachh or clean India where toilets are used and open defecation free (ODF) status achieved as part of the Swachh Bharat Abhiyan launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2014, can eradicate diseases like diahorrea and become a Swasth or healthy India. The campaign will continue to cover issues like air pollution, waste management, plastic ban, manual scavenging and sanitation workers and menstrual hygiene.