ROCK ISLAND, Ill. — The FDA gave full approval for the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccination Monday.
The vaccine has been available since December 2020 for emergency authorization. Since then, more than 200 million doses have been manufactured.
"We were so very lucky that 20 years of scientific research on vaccines, specifically coronaviruses made this vaccine able to be brought to the market very quickly," said Janet Hill, Rock Island County Health Department PIO.
To be approved, the FDA is looking for six months of follow-up data to document side effects. They also tour the factories where the vaccine is made and get a detailed look at the production process.
"All the steps are gone through, all the science and open data is there." said Hill. "The FDA would not approve something that they did not feel was extremely safe."
Rock Island County health officials are hoping this approval encourages people to get their shot. Hill says more than 80% of ICU beds are occupied because of a surge in patients.
"Anybody who's been sitting on the fence about getting vaccinated, now's the time," said Hill.
The county's COVID-19 cases are increasing fast but the vaccine rate is moving much slower.
"We're seeing a lot of people who are 20s and 30s who feel invincible, who are being knocked down by this virus, they are very very ill," said Hill.
Hill says she's afraid the county is trending backwards and hopes people feel more confident in the Pfizer vaccine.