On August 23, 2021, the FDA approved the first COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine, known as the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, will now be marketed as Comirnaty – for the prevention of COVID-19 disease in individuals 16 years of age and older. The vaccine also continues to be available under emergency use authorization (EUA), including for individuals 12 through 15 years of age and for the administration of a third dose in certain immunocompromised individuals. NOTE: FHCHC will continue to refer to this vaccine as the Pfizer vaccine for the sake of continuity for our patients.
This approval will come as great news to anyone who is vaccine-hesitant and was waiting for formal approval of one of the vaccines. FHCHC continues to endorse the use of any vaccine approved by the FDA under emergency use authorization.