'Approved' or 'authorized'? When it comes to COVID-19 vaccines, words matter. • 5 min read Pfizer seeks full FDA approval of COVID-19 vaccine About one-third of the U.S. population is fully vaccinated as the FDA weighs vaccine use for younger teens and children. Frederic J. Brown/AFP via Getty Images Pfizer and partner BioNTech have asked the Food and Drug Administration for full approval for their COVID-19 vaccine, a regulatory benchmark beyond the current emergency use authorization granted during the pandemic. Moderna and Johnson & Johnson are expected to submit similar requests before too long. Many are eager for COVID-19 vaccines to advance to full-approval status as they believe this will reassure those who are vaccine hesitant while also helping employers and universities to enforce vaccine mandates. It also would ensure that COVID-19 vaccines still could still be administered after the pandemic ends, and the declaration of "emergency" is over.