On August 23^rd the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gave the Pfizer Covid-19 full approval for use in People aged 16 years and older. This marks a significant milestone in the battle against Covid-19. With the FDA’s full approval, the path is cleared for corporations and governmental institutions, as well as health care facilities, to issue vaccine mandates as a condition of employment. While such moves have become increasingly politicized, it is worth noting that the Covid-19 vaccine will simply be added to a long list of mandatory vaccinations already in place for many Americans.

The real message that this sends to the American people is that the Pfizer vaccine is both safe and effective and is the best tool we have against continued shut-downs and masking mandates. In the coming weeks, the FDA is expected to extend that full approval to children aged 12 and up and clinical trials for vaccines to be used by children under the age of 12 are ongoing and most experts predict that approval for vaccines in elementary aged children is only a few months away.

Hopefully this newest development will help us to move beyond Covid-19 and the more easily spread Delta variant. We may all have a bit of Covid fatigue at this point but it’s important to remember to stay vigilant and to not let our guard down. If we all work together with vaccinations and masking, we can beat Covid-19 and finally return to normal.

https://www.fda.gov/news-events/press-announcements/fda-approves-first-covid-19-vaccine