Pfizer-BioNTech to become first EUA vaccine for COVID-19; stock gains 4 per cent

United States Food & Drug Administration (USFDA) has issued the first emergency use authorisation (EUA) as a vaccine for COVID-19.

On December 11, as per a USFDA news release, the regulatory body said that Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine has met the statutory criteria for the issuance of an emergency use authorisation (EUA). FDA further says that the totality of the available data provides clear evidence that Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine may be effective in preventing COVID-19. The data also supports that the known and potential benefits outweigh the known and potential risks, supporting the vaccine’s use in millions of people of 16 years of age and older, including healthy individuals.

Commenting on this, Peter Marks, Director of FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation & Research said, “While not an FDA approval, today’s emergency use authorisation of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine holds the promise to alter the course of this pandemic in the United States.”

This vaccine under EUA has been administered as a series of two doses, three weeks apart, side effects experienced by the people especially, after the second dose are pain at the injection site, tiredness, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, and fever. 

On Monday, the stock of Pfizer rose by 4.9 per cent, touching its high at Rs 5,539 from its previous close of Rs 5,278 and is currently trading over its low of Rs 5,352.