The FDA has confirmed Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective against the virus

BIRMINGHAM, Ala. (WBRC) - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has confirmed that Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective against the virus.

The news comes just days before an FDA advisory committee meets to consider the vaccine for emergency use authorization in the United States.

That advisory committee is scheduled to meet Thursday, and the Alabama Department of Public Health hopes that public meeting will boost confidence in the vaccine.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has confirmed Pfizer’s vaccine is 95% effective against COVID-19.

“Really, I think the most important aspect of this is to not only review the science, but also to build public confidence that the scientific process is being followed,” said District Medical Officer for ADPH, Dr. Karen Landers.

On Thursday, a panel of scientists will go over the FDA’s review before recommending the COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use authorization.

“Once the FDA issues emergency use authorization for the initial product that has been put forth, then we would expect to receive vaccine in the state of Alabama within a few days of that approval, and once vaccine is approved and in the state of Alabama we would expect to be administering the vaccine within that next week,” Dr. Landers said.

Researchers said protection of the virus from the vaccine starts around two weeks after the first dose with full protection coming after the second dose.

But with side effects like fever, fatigue, headache and injection sight pain, there are concerns some won’t get the second shot.

“These side effects resolved in a day or two of administration of the vaccine and when you balance that really against the disease COVID-19, and knowing the devastation of this disease in our community and in our state, it does seem like a very reasonable vaccine,” Dr. Landers explained.

One more piece of news released Tuesday is that just the first dose of the Pfizer vaccine offers more than 50% effectiveness after about a week.

But remember, public health officials strongly recommend two doses.

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