US allows Pfizer covid vaccine's emergency use, Trump says 'will be administered in 24hrs'

U.S. gave final go-ahe on Friday to nation’s first COVID-19 vaccine, marking what could be beginning of end of an outbreak that has killed nearly 300,000 Americans, according to a person familiar with decision but t authorized to discuss it publicly.

Shots for health workers and nursing home residents are expected to begin in coming days after Food and Drug ministration authorized an emergency rollout of what promises to be a strongly protective vaccine from Pfizer Inc. and its German partner BioNTech.

Initial doses are scarce and rationed as U.S. joins Britain and several or countries in scrambling to vaccinate as many people as possible ahe of a long, grim winter. It will take months of work to tamp down coronavirus that has surged to catastrophic levels in recent weeks and alrey claimed 1.5 million lives globally.

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move sets off what will be largest vaccination campaign in U.S. history, but it also has global ramifications because it’s a role model to many or countries facing same decision. world desperately needs multiple vaccines for eugh to go around, and Pfizer-BioNTech shot is first based on rigorous scientific testing to emerge from that worldwide race - a record-setting scientific achievement that shaved years off usual process.

“I don’t think you would have found a scientist on this planet that would have predicted this 11 months ago,” said Dr. Paul Offit, a vaccine expert at Children’s Hospital of Philelphia who vises FDA.

U.S. is considering a second vaccine, me by Moderna Inc., that could roll out in ar week. In early January, Johnson & Johnson expects to learn if its vaccine is working in final testing. Europe is set to make its own decision on Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna shots later this month, an important step as some or candidates that multiple countries were anxiously awaiting have hit roblocks. Friday, Safi and GSK anunced a months-long delay after early tests showed ir vaccine didn’t work well eugh in older ults. And China and Russia didn’t wait for final-st tests before beginning vaccinations with some homegrown shots.

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About 3 million doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine are expected in first shipments around country, according to officials with Operation Warp Speed, Trump ministration’s vaccine development program. A similar amount is to be held in reserve for those recipients' second dose.

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention visory committee is poised to recommend who's first in line. Expected to follow health workers and nursing homes are or essential workers, older ults, and people at high risk because of or health problems. U.S. authorities don’t expect eugh for general population before spring, and that's assuming re are manufacturing glitches.

In a still unfinished study of nearly 44,000 people, FDA found vaccine was safe and more than 90% effective across recipients of different s, including older ults, races, and those with health problems that put m at high risk from coronavirus. Emergency use means vaccine still is experimental. Most important for would-be recipients to kw:

- Some protection begins after first dose, but it takes a second dose three weeks later for full protection. It’s unclear how long protection lasts.

- vaccine protects against COVID-19 illness, but one yet kws if it can stop silent, symptomless spre that accounts for roughly half of all cases. ongoing study will attempt to answer that but for w, vaccinated still will need to wear a mask and keep ir distance.

- Expect a sore arm and some flu-like symptoms such as fever, fatigue, heache and chills after second dose. While uncomfortable, those reactions only last about a day. “That’s just your immune system working. It’s a good thing,” Offit said.

- Authorities are investigating several allergic reactions reported in Britain by people with a history of severe allergies. Offit said it is routine in U.S. for vaccinated to stick around for a half-hour so y could get prompt treatment if such reactions appear.

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If emergency use of Moderna's vaccine also is authorized, U.S. expects to vaccinate 20 million people by end of December. y hope to have eugh for ar 30 million people in January and 50 million in February. Getting shots into arms is big challenge, especially as a new poll from Associated Press-RC Center for Public Affairs Research found only half of Americans want vaccine when it’s ir turn. About a quarter say y won’t get it and rest aren’t sure.

Political interference has complicated health authorities’ mess that testing was rigorous and cut corners. President Donald Trump bashed FDA, again, Friday for taking too long, complaining that ncy “is still a big, old slow turtle.” One of his deputies even pressed Hahn to clear shots by end of day or face possible firing, two ministration officials said.

FDA is unique in analyzing drugmakers’ raw data, a process that takes longer than many or countries’ regulatory reviews. In dition, FDA insisted that large COVID-19 vaccine studies track at least half participants for two months to look for side effects, a time period when historically any vaccine problems appear.  

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(With AP Inputs)