Pfizer Inc. said Friday it has applied to U.S. health regulators for emergency use authorization (EUA) of its COVID-19 vaccine, a major step toward providing protection against the new coronavirus for pandemic-weary Americans. The application to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) comes just days after Pfizer and German partner BioNTech SE reported final trial results that showed the vaccine was 95% effective in preventing COVID-19 with no major safety concerns. Pfizer has said it expects to have 50 million vaccine doses ready this year, enough to protect 25 million people. The final trial data showed the vaccine provided a similar level of protection across different ages and ethnicities – an encouraging result as the disease disproportionately hurts the elderly and minorities. For more information on COVID-19, call the DOH Hotline: (02) 86517800 local 1149/1150.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer November 20, 2020 12:11 UTC