The FDA approved the Pfizer Covid-19 vaccine on Monday, Aug. 23, 2021, for individuals age 16 and older, after over two months of testing and no long-term side effects found.

On Dec. 11, 2020, the Pfizer vaccine was available to individuals 16 years and older under the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) given by the FDA, which allows unapproved medical products to be used in the case of an emergency. While there were no known side effects to the vaccine, it was not FDA approved, as not enough testing had commenced.

According to the CDC, the FDA requires six weeks of testing on vaccines, as most vaccine side effects occur within six weeks of the vaccine being administered. The FDA said that they tested 20,000 individuals 16 and older and 20,000 placebo individuals, and found that the Pfizer vaccine is 91% effective.

While the FDA has approved the vaccine for individuals age 16 and older, the vaccine is still available to individuals age 12 to 15 under Emergency Use Authorization. “It has been helpful that students 12 years and older are able to receive the Pfizer vaccine,” Linda Davis, the nurse at Westerville South said. “A lot of students are receiving that vaccine.”

The FDA approval has had an impact on how many people are receiving the vaccine. According to an analysis by ABC News, after the approval the vaccine rate in America rose by 17%, and the Monday after the approval 473,000 Americans got vaccinated.

Vaccines have been administered to students of Westerville South, through a program last year. Students received the Pfizer vaccine at Westerville Central with parental permission.

The FDA has also approved Pfizer booster shots for individuals 65 and older, for individuals who have certain medical conditions, and for employees or residents who are at an increased risk of exposure to Covid-19. The CDC says that booster shots should be administered at least 6 months after the second dose of the vaccine.