Pfizer and BioNTech's jointly developed coronavirus vaccine could be effective after just one dose, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration said Tuesday in its first report. The report comes ahead of its Thursday assessment of the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) request filed by Pfizer last month.
According to the FDA, individuals infected with COVID 19 could benefit from the Pfizer vaccine. The FDA noted that the vaccine's efficacy after one dose, but before the second dose, was around 52%; its efficacy for trial participants over the age of 55 was 94% after both doses. .It has not noted any specific concerns from the late-stage trials.
Last month, Pfizer said that the vaccine, called BNT162b2, had a 95% efficacy rate across all age and race demographics. The pharmaceutical company said it would be ready to distribute the vaccine 'within hours' of approval by the FDA.
The Centers for Disease Control would take the final decision on allocation at the state and national level.