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The first vaccine to prevent COVID-19 has been cleared for use in the United States. The Food and Drug Administration on Saturday granted emergency use authorization to Pfizer and BioNTech’s COVID-19 vaccine for use in individuals 16 years old and older. The first shipments began leaving facilities on Sunday.
The FDA’s decision was based on data from its Phase 3 clinical study, whose results were published last week in the New England Journal of Medicine and which saw a 95% vaccine efficacy rate. The two companies continue to gather additional data and prepare a biologics license application for full approval from the FDA in 2021.
A woman holds a small bottle labeled with a Coronavirus COVID-19 Vaccine sticker and a medical syringe in front of displayed Pfizer logo in this illustration taken, Oct 30, 2020. [Photo/Agencies]
As shipments of Pfizer s coronavirus vaccine begin arriving at hospitals in the United States on Monday, businesses and professional groups are lobbying to be considered essential to get early doses. Everybody believes that their own workers should be first in line for vaccine doses, said Jeff Levin-Scherz, co-leader of health-management practice at Willis Towers Watson, a global advisory, broking and solutions company.
Last week, a panel of experts advising the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention overwhelmingly recommended that the first doses go to the nation s 21 million healthcare workers and 3 million residents of long-term care facilities, who are in the Phase 1a category.
Managing Editor
Offering consumers a safe, convenient and reliable place for immunizations are playing a big role in Rite Aid’s overall pharmacy strategy.
In fact, more than 6,300 Rite Aid pharmacists, as well as some pharmacy technicians, across the chain’s 2,460 stores have been trained and certified as vaccinators a number that may come in very handy as the federal government considers using retail pharmacies as distribution centers for COVID-19 vaccines in coming weeks.
Rite Aid is DSN’s Pharmacy Innovator of the Year. To read more about the company’s new business strategy, click here.
When it happens, Rite Aid will be prepared to help, relying on more than a decade of experience with in-store vaccinations. “Immunizations have been an important part of our pharmacy strategy,” said Jocelyn Konrad, Rite Aid’s executive vice president and chief pharmacy officer. “Elevating the role of our pharmacists and vaccines are one of the first things we
Republished with permission from Kaiser Health News.
With front-line health workers and nursing home residents and staff expected to get the initial doses of COVID vaccines, the thornier question is figuring out who goes next.
The answer will likely depend on where you live.
While an influential federal advisory board is expected to make its recommendations later this month, state health departments and governors will make the call on who gets access to a limited number of vaccines this winter.
As a result, it’s been a free-for-all in recent weeks as manufacturers, grocers, bank tellers, dentists and drive-share companies all jostle to get a spot near the front of the line.
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