Vaccination in public to reassure the most resistant.
US Vice President Mike Pence received a dose of the Covid-19 vaccine on Friday, December 18, when the United States is preparing to authorize a second, that of Moderna.
Mike Pence's injection of the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine was broadcast live on television and he said he was "happy to have received this safe and effective vaccine."
A few minutes earlier, President Donald Trump sowed confusion by asserting that a second vaccine, that of Moderna, had been "approved" in the United States, even before health authorities confirmed having given the green light to the remedy.
"Moderna's vaccine overwhelmingly approved. Distribution will begin immediately," the President tweeted early Friday morning.
No votes against
But the decision of the United States Medicines Agency (FDA) was still expected, for later Friday, after the recommendation by an expert committee the day before to authorize this vaccine, a week after that of Pfizer.
At the end of a day of hearings broadcast live, this advisory committee voted in favor of the authorization, with 20 votes in favor, none against and only one abstention.
Asked by AFP on Donald Trump's statement, the FDA simply referred to its statement dated Thursday, explaining that the agency would "quickly work on finalizing and issuing emergency authorization" of the vaccine, after the vote of the advisory committee.
A week ago, the FDA had authorized the antidote to Pfizer, the day after the meeting of this same committee, under pressure from Donald Trump, impatient to see the start of the vast vaccination campaign in the country on which he was responsible. everything to respond to the coronavirus health crisis.
The United States, currently facing a spectacular rebound in the epidemic, recorded, Thursday, December 17, 3,249 deaths and 247,544 new infections.
Pre-purchase of 200 million doses of Moderna's vaccine
After his vaccination, Vice President Mike Pence said formal authorization for Moderna's vaccine was expected shortly: "We have one, and possibly in a few hours, two safe and effective vaccines against the coronavirus."
"When approved, which is what we expect later today, we will be in a position to send vaccines across the country next week," he added.
Moderna's vaccine has been found safe and effective by the FDA, in a summary of data released earlier this week, leaving little doubt about its future authorization.
The published analysis confirmed an average efficacy of 94.1%.
The United States has pre-purchased 200 million doses of Moderna's vaccine, compared to Pfizer's 100 million.
The two vaccines are taken in two doses spaced four and three weeks apart, respectively.
With AFP
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