US plans to approve 2nd COVID-19 vaccine after panel endorsement

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) head said on Thursday that the agency will move to quickly authorise the second COVID-19 vaccine to fight the pandemic, hours after the shot won the key endorsement of a government advisory panel.

FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn said in a statement that regulators have communicated their plans to drugmaker Moderna, which co-developed the vaccine with the National Institutes of Health, reports AP. 

The announcement came after a panel of FDA advisers ruled that the benefits of the vaccine outweighed the risks for those 18 years old and up in a 20-0 vote.

Once FDA’s emergency use authorisation is granted, Moderna will begin shipping millions of doses for health workers and nursing home residents, to boost the largest vaccination effort in the US history.