(CBM) – With concerns still lingering about the safety and side effects, the Pfizer/BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has passed the full approval process and it is ready for distribution in the U.S. The first doses will arrive at California hospitals this week. On Dec. 11, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency use authorization for the Pfizer/BioNTech coronavirus vaccine to be distributed to individuals 16 and older. In a statement, the FDA said that Pfizer’s clinical trial data showed that the “known and potential” benefits of the vaccine outweighed its risks. “Today’s action follows an open and transparent review process that included input from independent scientific and public health experts and a thorough evaluation by the agency’s career scientists to ensure this vaccine met FDA’s rigorous, scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality needed to support emergency use authorization,” said FDA Commissioner Stephen M. Hahn, M.D.