Pfizer vaccine receives full federal approval

The federal Food and Drug Administration has granted full licensure for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

Virginia Department of Health vaccination coordinator Dr. Danny Avula praised the decision in a press release.

The FDA gave full approval to administer the vaccine for people 16 and older.

More than 200 million doses have been administered in the U.S., with nearly 5.5 million of them in Virginia, Avula noted. “The science is clear that this is a safe and effective vaccine that is highly effective in preventing infection by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and subsequent variants, and in preventing serious illness that could result in hospitalization and/or death,” he said.

The vaccine will continue to be available under emergency use authorization for teens aged 12-15, and as a third dose for people with compromised immune systems, Avula noted.