Panel gives FDA the green light to give Pfizer vaccine emergency authorization

Governor John Bel Edwards says it is possible we could be administering COVID vaccines to frontline healthcare workers as early as late Sunday.

A panel of medical experts Thursday submitted its recommendation to the FDA that the Pfizer vaccine be given emergency authorization. Edwards said that means we’re just awaiting an expected ok from the FDA.

“We know that we are only days away now of receiving our first doses of COVID vaccine here in Louisiana, it would be the Pfizer messenger RNA vaccine,” said Edwards.

Edwards said the vaccine is staged and ready to be shipped to locations that have been selected throughout the state.

“The shipments of the Pfizer vaccine will go out within hours of the FDA issuing that emergency use authorization, it is going to go out via FedEx and UPS,” said Edwards.

Edwards said we expect to receive about 39,000 doses within the next few days, followed by 40,000 the next week. He says unlike other states and the feds, we will be using all doses upon arrival.

“This is a two-dose vaccine and we are not going to be holding on to half of our vaccine and only providing that first injection to a small number,” said Edwards.