The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the emergency use of Pfizer COVID-19 Vaccine.
The agency said the authorisation was a “significant milestone” in the pandemic, which has taken more than 295,000 lives in the US.
The vaccine, which offers up to 95% protection against Covid-19, was deemed safe and effective by the FDA.
According to the New York Times, the U.S. is expected to distribute 2.9 million doses of Pfizer and BioNTech’s vaccine over the next week, the first of which will begin going out within the next 24 hours.
President Donald Trump shared the news via Twitter on Friday night, calling the achievement a “medical miracle.”
“We have delivered a safe and effective vaccine in just nine months. This is one of the greatest scientific accomplishments in history,” he said in a video from the White House.
“It will save millions of lives and soon end the pandemic once and for all. I’m thrilled to report the FDA has authorized the Pfizer vaccine … On behalf of the American people, I’d like to thank all of the brilliant scientists, technicians, doctors, and workers who made this all possible …”