FDA authorises Moderna’s COVID vaccine for emergency use
Al JazeeraThe United States says about 5.9 million doses of the Moderna vaccine are ready to be shipped this weekend. The United States Food and Drug Administration has approved Moderna Inc’s COVID-19 vaccine for emergency use, paving the way for millions of doses to be shipped across the country as early as this weekend. The FDA’s announcement on Friday came a day after a committee of outside experts endorsed the Moderna vaccine’s use across the US, saying its benefits outweigh any potential risks in people aged 18 and older. Moderna has about 5.9 million doses ready for shipment set to begin during the weekend, according to Operation Warp Speed, the US government’s vaccine development programme. “Authorization of Moderna’s vaccine means we can accelerate the vaccination of frontline healthcare workers and Americans in long-term-care facilities, and, ultimately, bring a faster end to this pandemic,” US Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar said in a statement.