TAMPA (NBC) – The Pfizer vaccine, which was the first COVID shot available after the FDA gave it emergency use authorization in December, may be just weeks away from full approval.
The New York Times reported that because of the Delta variant, and the number of surging COVID-19 cases, the FDA accelerated the timeline to fully approve Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine. According to the New York Times, the agency wants to grant full approval by Labor Day.
President Joe Biden has previously said that he expects full approval to happen by early fall.
But the Times who cited multiple people familiar with the plan is reporting that the “unofficial deadline” is Labor Day or sooner.
The FDA announced late last week that it has taken an “all-hands-on-deck approach” and was “moving forward as rapidly as possible” on Pfizer’s application.
A full approval could help increase the number of vaccinations especially among those who have concerns about the shot’s safety.
Millions of people have received Pfizer’s version of the vaccine since the FDA granted the company emergency authorization late last year. Moderna’s and Johnson and Johnson’s vaccines also have emergency authorization.
Millions of people have received Pfizer’s version of the vaccine since the F.D.A. granted the company emergency authorization late last year. Moderna’s and Johnson and Johnson’s vaccines also have emergency authorization.
