First COVID-19 vaccinations expected latter part of December

Editor's Note

On November 30, Moderna applied for an emergency use authorization (EUA) from the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) for its COVID-19 vaccine. Moderna’s vaccine was developed in collaboration with researchers at the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, where Anthony Fauci, MD, is the director.

Moderna is the second company to apply for an EUA for its vaccine—Pfizer/BioNTech applied on November 20. Both companies have similar high efficacy rates.

The FDA will meet with its advisory committee on December 10 to review Pfizer/BioNTech’s application and on December 17 to review Moderna’s application.

If the companies receive EUAs, an advisory committee to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will make recommendations about who should get the vaccine first. Then healthcare professionals can start administering the vaccines.

The first vaccinations in the US could be given as early as December 21, according to the November 30 New York Times.