The Virginia Department of Health is on board with the FDA decision to grant full licensure to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for persons ages 16 years and older.
“This action comes after rigorous review and study by scientists and other researchers at the FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,” said state vaccination coordinator Dr. Danny Avula, MD, MPH. “As a result, over 200 million doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine have been administered in the United States, with 5,479,907 Pfizer doses administered in Virginia since the vaccination campaign began in late December 2020. The science is clear that this is a safe and effective vaccine that is highly effective in preventing infection by the SARS-CoV-2 virus and subsequent variants, and in preventing serious illness that could result in hospitalization and/or death.
“The Pfizer vaccine, which has been referred to as the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, will now be marketed under the brand name Comirnaty. The vaccine will continue to be available under emergency use authorization for individuals 12 to 15 years of age, and for the administration of a third dose in immunocompromised individuals,” Avula said.
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