DES MOINES, Iowa – The Food and Drug Administration gave their full approval to the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine which will now be marketed as Comirnaty for the prevention of COVID-19 in individuals 16-years of age and older.
With the vaccine’s full approval, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds encouraged Iowans not yet vaccinated to take the vaccine.
“The FDA’s full approval of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine offers Iowans and Americans who’ve not yet been vaccinated the assurance they need to do so now,” Reynolds said in a released statement. “The vaccine is the best defense against the virus, and it’s been proven highly effective at preventing serious illness, hospitalization and death, even against variants. Vaccine is widely available in the state, and I encourage all eligible Iowans to get vaccinated as soon as possible.”
The Comirnaty vaccine continues to be available under emergency use authorization (EUA), for individuals 12 through 15 years of age and for the administration of a third dose in certain immunocompromised individuals.
Vaccine supply in the state is stable and vaccine appointments are readily available statewide. The Iowa Department of Public Health (IDPH) encourages anyone with questions to reach out to their health care provider.
IDPH reports that 48 percent of Iowans are fully vaccinated with 1,575,728 Iowans receiving either both doses of the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines or one dose of the Johnson & Johnson (Janssen) vaccine. There have been 1,747,533 doses of the Pfizer vaccine administered to Iowans.
