The approval of the vaccine marked a turning point in a
country where the pandemic has killed more than 295,000 people and infected
over 15 million.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted an emergency
use authorization for the vaccine, developed with German partner BioNTech,
which was shown to be 95% effective in preventing the disease in a late-stage
trial.
It said the vaccine can be given to people aged 16 and
older.
Healthcare workers and elderly people in long-term care
facilities are expected to be the main recipients of a first round of 2.9
million doses this month.
BioNTech Chief Executive Ugur Sahin said the vaccine “will
help to save lives across the United States and could accelerate a return to
normality.”
U.S. health authorities, shipping services, hospitals and
pharmacies have been readying a nationwide inoculation campaign.