Donald Trump began his address by calling the development a "medical miracle" as he said "Today our nation has achieved a medical miracle. We have delivered a safe and effective vaccine in just 9 months. This is one of the greatest scientific accomplishments in history. It will save millions of lives and soon end the pandemic once and for all".
"I am thrilled to report the FDA has authorised the Pfizer vaccine. We have given Pfizer and other companies a great deal of money hoping this would be the outcome and it was," he added.
Trump then went on to thank scientists, technicians and doctors while talking about the investment made by his administration in providing the vaccine under 'Operation Warp Speed'.
The vaccine, as per his claim, will be free for all Americans and the first dose will be administered in less than 24 hours.
"Through our partnership with FedEx and UPS, we have already begun shipping the vaccine to every state and zip code in the country. The first vaccine will be administered in less than 24 hours," he said, adding that governors will decide who would receive the shots first in their states.
Senior citizens, health care workers, and first responders are most likely to be given preference.
Reiterating the 'China Virus' title, he further boasted that "when the china virus invaded our shores, I promised that we will produce the first vaccine in record time before the end of the year. They said it couldn't be done but with today's announcement, we have achieved that goal".
This development followed after a Washington Post report claimed that White House chief of staff Mark Meadows asked FDA commissioner Stephen Hahn to resign if his agency doesn’t approve Pfizer’s vaccine by the end of the day. The announcement which was supposed to happen the following day was then pushed up to Friday night after the threat.
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Concerns Over Pfizer's Coronavirus Vaccine
According to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulators, four volunteers who were administered the Pfizer vaccine shots during the trial stage developed Bell’s Palsy.
The condition causes a temporary weakness or paralysis of the muscles in the face. It can occur when the nerve that controls your facial muscles is inflamed, swollen, or compressed. The condition causes one side of your face to droop or to become stiff.
This immediately followed the U.K. National Health Service's statement where it cautioned that people with a 'significant' history of allergies should not take Pfizer and BioNTech's Covid-19 vaccine as two receivers reported reactions from the shots.
"As is common with new vaccines the MHRA have advised on a precautionary basis that people with a significant history of allergic reactions do not receive this vaccination," Stephen Powis, national medical director for the NHS in England had said in a statement.
The chief executive of the MHRA June Raine revealed that her team witnessed two case reports of allergic reactions on Tuesday evening. They are said to have suffered an anaphylactoid reaction which tends to involve a rash, shortness of breath, and a drop in blood pressure. Both staff members of the NHS are currently recovering well, the health service revealed.
Meanwhile, the Pfizer vaccine has been approved in the United Kingdom, Bahrain, Canada and the United States of America. It is also awaiting approval in India.