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FDA NEWS RELEASE
FDA Approves First COVID-19 Vaccine
Approval Signifies Key Achievement for Public Health
Immediate Release:
August 23, 2021
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine has been known as the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, and will now be marketed as Comirnaty (koe-mir’-na-tee), for the prevention of COVID-19 disease in individuals 16 years of age and older. The vaccine also continues to be available under emergency use authorization (EUA), including for individuals 12 through 15 years of age and for the administration of a third dose in certain immunocompromised individuals.
“The FDA’s approval of this vaccine is a milestone as we continue to battle the COVID-19 pandemic. While this and other vaccines have met the FDA’s rigorous, scientific standards for emergency use authorization, as the first FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine, the public can be very confident that this vaccine meets the high standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality the FDA requires of an approved product,” said Acting FDA Commissioner Janet Woodcock, M.D. “While millions of people have already safely received COVID-19 vaccines, we recognize that for some, the FDA approval of a vaccine may now instill additional confidence to get vaccinated. Today’s milestone puts us one step closer to altering the course of this pandemic in the U.S.” Read more
PANAMA CITY, Fla. (WJHG/WECP) – Ascension Sacred Heart hospitals in Bay, Walton, and Gulf counties have seen an increase in hospitalized COVID-19 patients.
The number of patients changes often, but Ascension Sacred Heart has released statistics for Aug. 19:
- There are a total of 157 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in the three Ascension Sacred Heart hospitals. One week ago, there were 133 patients.
- The current total number of hospitalized COVID-19 patients is more than two times higher than the previous peak at the hospitals.
- On July 4, before the current COVID-19 surge, two Ascension Sacred Heart hospitals had a total of six patients hospitalized with COVID-19.
- 93 percent of the patients hospitalized with COVID-19 are unvaccinated.
- There are fewer elderly patients in this latest surge because of the significant number of people 65 and older who are vaccinated.
- There is currently an increased number of younger patients in their 20s, 30s, and 40s during this latest surge driven by the Delta variant of the virus.
Ascension Medical Group Sacred Heart now offers rapid COVID testing at its family medicine offices in Bay and Walton counties. The test can provide results within 15 minutes. It is a non-invasive nasal swab that is performed in the primary care doctors’ offices. Tests will be available in Gulf County offices next week.
The Pfizer vaccine is being offered at Ascension Medical Group Sacred Heart’s Pediatrics office at 619 North Cove Blvd. in Panama City. This is for patients 12 years of age and older. You do not need to be a patient to get a vaccine. To make an appointment call 850-804-3870.
