HARRISBURG, Pa. — Governor Tom Wolf on Monday weighed in following the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine.
“Today’s announcement is great news as we continue to fight COVID-19 and its variants,” Wolf said in a statement. “Full approval by the FDA solidifies the overall safety and efficacy of the Pfizer BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine."
He went on to say in the statement that his office hopes FDA approval
"encourages people to get vaccinated who may have been hesitant while it was classified as emergency use to not only protect themselves, but their loved ones and everyone else around them.”
“COVID-19 is still prevalent in our communities, which is why it is extremely important that everyone take their health seriously and get vaccinated,” Acting Secretary of Health Alison Beam said.
Until today, the Pfizer vaccine had been available under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for individuals aged 16 and older since Dec. 11, 2020. EUAs are issued by the FDA during public health emergencies to provide access to medical products that may be effective in preventing, diagnosing, or treating a disease.
The EUA remains in effect for children ages 12 to 15.