FDA Approves Emergency Distribution of COVID-19 Vaccine in the United States
On Friday, the United States Food and Drug Administration approved the emergency use for the vaccine developed to fight COVID-19.
The vaccine, created by Pfizer and BioNTech, has been authorized to be distributed to individuals over 16 years of age. In their press announcement, the FDA reported that they support the vaccine because its “known and potential benefits clearly outweigh its known and potential risks.” The vaccine will be given in two doses, three weeks apart. This news comes weeks after the United Kingdom was the first country to approve the vaccine.
Today, FDA issued the first emergency use authorization (EUA) for a vaccine for the prevention of #COVID19 caused by SARS-CoV-2 in individuals 16 years of age and older. The emergency use authorization allows the vaccine to be distributed in the U.S. https://t.co/1Vu0xQqmCB pic.twitter.com/c8maeePP9O— U.S. FDA (@US_FDA) December 12, 2020
Medical Professionals, Scientists, and Political leaders are tasked with building public trust in the vaccination process. Anti-vaxxers have filled social media with conspiracies about the development of the vaccine and government involvement. Former Presidents Bill Clinton, George Bush, and Barack Obama have agreed to receive the vaccine on live television to assure Americans that the vaccine is safe for the people and effective in combating COVID-19.
Remember, people who said…
COVID is like flu
Masks don’t work
Will end by August
BCG will protect us
HCQ and Zinc are great
We’ve reached herd immunity
…are now spreading crazy theories/doubts about the vaccines
They were wrong then. They are wrong now— Faheem Younus, MD (@FaheemYounus) December 12, 2020
Some believe that with a vaccine, America and the rest of the world can return to normalcy, but others are unsure. There are sure to be lasting effects of COVID-19: everyday life has changed, the way we interact as humans have changed too, but most prominent is the long-term financial effects that the disease will have on the world. While companies raced to develop a vaccine, more could have been to slow the spread in the U.S. if there was more guidance at a national level.
COVID-19 is on track to become the deadliest event in US history. I’m in favor of vaccines but I’m also doubtful it will be enough to prevent this being the worst disaster of the modern era w/ consequences that last a generation or more due to the other structural failures.— Bree Newsome Bass (@BreeNewsome) December 12, 2020
After development and clinical trials that lasted almost a year, Pfizer’s vaccine proved to be 95% effective. The U.S. Government has made an agreement with Pfizer for 100 million doses of the vaccine by March 2021. The vaccine will be free to the public. Once all Americans have access to the vaccine, and if we continue to social distance, practice good hygiene and wear masks, soon we can be in spaces with people we love, doing the things we love.
