{"id":99124,"date":"2020-12-11T04:30:39","date_gmt":"2020-12-10T22:30:39","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/toptrendingnews.co\/countdown-begins-for-final-us-approval-of-first-covid-19-vaccine\/"},"modified":"2020-12-11T04:30:39","modified_gmt":"2020-12-10T22:30:39","slug":"countdown-begins-for-final-us-approval-of-first-covid-19-vaccine","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/toptrendingnews.co\/countdown-begins-for-final-us-approval-of-first-covid-19-vaccine\/","title":{"rendered":"Countdown Begins for Final US Approval of First COVID-19 Vaccine"},"content":{"rendered":"
The countdown has begun for the U.S. Food and Drug Administration\u2019s anticipated final approval of a coronavirus vaccine developed by U.S. pharmaceutical giant Pfizer and Germany\u2019s BioNTech, shown to be 95% effective in preventing COVID-19.<\/p>\n
The FDA is widely expected to authorize emergency use of the vaccine \u2013 possibly later Friday or Saturday \u2013 after a special panel of the agency voted for its approval Thursday.<\/p>\n
The decision came as the United States recorded a one-day record of deaths from the coronavirus, with more than 3,100 lives lost in a single day earlier this week.<\/p>\n
As of Thursday evening, the U.S. had recorded 15.5 million cases and more than 291,000 deaths, according to Johns Hopkins University data.<\/p>\n
Of the 22 people on the FDA panel, 17 voted in favor of authorizing the vaccine, four voted no and one abstained on the question: \u201cBased on the totality of scientific evidence available, do the benefits of the Pfizer\/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine outweigh its risks for use in individuals 16 years of age and older?\u201d<\/p>\n
The four panelists who dissented largely expressed concern about giving the vaccine to 16- and 17-year-olds. Teens younger than 18 were represented in small numbers in studies for the vaccine, and during the hours of deliberations, some scientists worried the effects on this age group weren\u2019t known well enough.<\/p>\n
The vaccine was approved after hours of deliberation on topics including allergic reactions to the vaccine recorded in Britain this week.<\/p>\n
The FDA panel\u2019s recommendation was hailed by President-elect Joe Biden.<\/p>\n