Expert says FDA approval presents research people have waited for

GREENVILLE, N.C. (WITN) - After rigorous research and scientific trials, the FDA has given full approval to Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine.

The FDA reported that after studying 40,000 people, half who got the shot and half who didn’t, they found the vaccine to be 91% effective. They also found it to be safe, with most whom they tracked after getting the shot bouncing back from their symptoms.

Dr. Rachel Roper with the Brody School of Medicine, who has followed COVID-19 before it even came to the US, said this is the data unvaccinated people may have been waiting for.

“They’ve just gone through hundreds, literally hundreds of thousands of papers, looking at every vaccination, every potential side effect,” explained Roper.

“They look at all the safety data...all the efficacy data...and say yes, definitely, this is good and we give it our final approval.”

She emphasized that this data finds more benefits than risks to the COVID-19 vaccine.

The approval falls on the same day as ECU’s first day of classes. Some students said they would consider getting vaccinated after hearing about more research and a full approval.

“I think with it being FDA-approved, a lot of people might get it,” said one.

“I’m open to getting it, I just need to do...more research,” said another.

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