US FDA authorises Pfizer coronavirus vaccine for emergency use

US FDA authorises Pfizer coronavirus vaccine for emergency use

The US greenlighted the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine late on Friday, with the first inoculations expected within days, marking a turning point in the United States where the pandemic has killed more than 295,000 people.

The much-awaited decision is paving the way for millions of vulnerable people to receive their shots in the world's hardest-hit country.

The US Food and Drug Administration said it authorised the use of Pfizer Inc's COVID-19 vaccine and granted an emergency use authorisation for the vaccine, developed with German partner BioNTech, which was shown to be 95% effective in preventing the disease in a late-stage trial.

Healthcare workers take part in a rehearsal for the administration of the Pfizer coronavirus disease vaccine in Indiana. Reuters

The US is now the sixth country to approve the two-dose regimen, after Britain, Bahrain, Canada, Saudi Arabia and Mexico.

The move came earlier than expected, and capped a day of drama after it was widely reported that the White House had threatened to fire Food and Drug Administration chief Stephen Hahn if he did not grant