Statement by Dr. Rajiv. J. Shah, President of The Rockefeller Foundation, on the FDA Approval of Pfizer’s Vaccine under Emergency Use Authorization

This week, the world received a shot of good news: the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted an emergency authorization for Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine to be used in people 16 and older. This approval, and the plans for putting the most vulnerable first in line, are welcome news nearly one year after the world first heard of Covid-19. As we celebrate this development, we must remain dedicated as ever to the testing, tracing, mask wearing, and social distancing required to battle this latest surge and to the equitable distribution of vaccines so this pandemic can end for everyone.