FDA to Give Pfizer COVID Vaccine Full Approval Next Week

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is targeting to fully approve Pfizer's two-dose COVID vaccine next week.

Citing a source familiar with the agency's planning, The New York Times reported that the FDA is pushing for the full of approval of the Pfizer vaccine on Monday, accelerating an earlier timeline for licensing the shot.

The Pfizer COVID vaccine was issued with an emergency use authorization in December, making it one of the jabs included in the U.S. vaccine rollout. More than 203 million people in the United States have already received the jab.

If the FDA's plan pushed through, Pfizer would be the first COVID vaccine to receive full authorization from the agency.

FDA to Fully Approve Pfizer COVID Vaccine

FDA regulators were reportedly working on finishing the process by Friday. However, they were still preparing substantial amounts of paperwork and negotiations with the company.

The source noted that if some components of the review need more time, then the vaccine's approval might happen beyond Monday next week.

Despite the mishaps that might occur, the agency set an unofficial deadline of approval, which was scheduled around Labor Day on September 6.

The FDA's move to fully approve the Pfizer vaccine happened after the nation's top infectious disease expert, Dr. Anthony Fauci, said he hoped that the Pfizer vaccine would receive full authorization by the end of the month.

The New York Times reported that the vaccine approval was expected to pave the way for a series of vaccine requirements from the private and public organizations, which were waiting for stronger regulatory backing before enforcing vaccine mandates.

Fauci earlier said that once the Pfizer vaccine received its full approval, vaccine mandates could easily be issued by the different public and private sectors.

He noted that companies, enterprises, businesses, universities, and colleges would be more confident about the vaccine against COVID-19.

As vaccine hesitancy continues to obstruct the federal government's efforts towards herd immunity, only 60 percent of American adults were reported to be fully vaccinated against COVID, even though the Delta variant already caused a surge in cases.

Pfizer and Moderna Booster Shots Available by Next Month

This week, the Biden administration announced that booster shots for both the mRNA vaccines, Pfizer and Moderna, would be available to the public next month.

On Wednesday, a joint statement from several top health officials announced that the booster shots would be available for adult Americans beginning the week of September 20.

They noted that individuals who were fully vaccinated early in the vaccine rollout, including health care providers, nursing home residents, and other senior citizens, would be eligible to get the booster shots of Pfizer and Moderna.

Centers for Disease Control and Preventions (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky cited new studies that convinced them to back the booster shots for both Pfizer and Moderna. The studies revealed that the protection given by the mRNA vaccines becomes weaker over time.

The Pfizer and Moderna booster shots would be given free, regardless of the health insurance and immigration status.

This article is owned by Latin Post

Written By: Joshua Summers

WATCH: FDA to Grant Full Approval to Pfizer's COVID Vaccine Next Week - From PBS NewsHour