The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) plans to approve the Pfizer covid-19 vaccine by this Monday.
According to New York Times sources, the agency is pushing for the injection to be authorized, but they were still working through a substantial amount of paperwork and negotiating with the company.
Approval is expected to pave the way for a number of vaccination requirements by public and private organizations that were waiting for firmer regulatory support before implementing the mandates.
People familiar with the planning, who were not allowed to speak publicly about it, have warned that approval could slip beyond Monday if some components of the review need more time.
An FDA spokeswoman declined to comment to The New York Times.
The agency had wanted to get the vaccine approved before Labor Day.
With approval, more people are expected to get vaccinated. Approval is expected to pave the way for a number of vaccination requirements by public and private organizations that were waiting for firmer regulatory support before implementing the mandates.
The timing of approval could pose an awkward messaging issue for the Biden government, which on Wednesday announced that fully vaccinated people should be prepared to receive reinforcements eight months after receiving the second dose.
Approving the vaccine and encouraging reinforcements at the same time may suggest to some that the vaccine as authorized is inadequate without an additional injection.
Last week, the FDA updated the Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna vaccine authorizations to allow third-dose administration to some immunocompromised individuals, a decision backed by the CDC.
Regulators are still reviewing Moderna’s application for full approval of its coronavirus vaccine, and the decision could come at least several weeks after that of Pfizer-BioNTech.
In Puerto Rico, to bolster vaccination, Governor Pedro Pierluisi Urrutia issued a new order requiring merchants, owners, administrators, volunteers or contractors of beauty salons, barbershops, beauticians, ‘spa’, casinos, gyms , childcare centers, supermarkets, grocery stores – including those authorized for the WIC Program -, casinos and gas station shops, ensure that all employees who work in person at the facility are properly vaccinated against covid-19, as well as its customers; if they do not, they must reduce capacity to 50%.