The Food and Drug Administration could grant full approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine as early as Monday, according to sources who informed the New York Times.
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Currently, the FDA has only approved emergency authorization use of the vaccine in people at least 12 years old.
The move to full approval could initiate a wave of expanded vaccination requirements from private and public companies. Some companies, colleges, and hospital systems had said they would not mandate the vaccine for employees until the FDA granted full approval. The federal government and military have already required inoculations.
Public health officials hope the vaccinations’ full approval will encourage hesitant Americans to get the shot.
The Times said that government bureaucrats had attempted to get the vaccine greenlit by Friday but were still engaged in negotiations with the company. The newspaper’s sources warned the timeline for approval could extend beyond Monday. Either way, it precedes the agency’s anticipated Labor Day deadline.
The FDA declined to comment on the report by the Times.
Moderna, which produces the only other comparable mRNA vaccine, said it has applied for full approval as well. However, the FDA is still reviewing its paperwork and may not have a decision for several more weeks.
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