MACON, Ga. — U.S. regulators gave full approval to Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine Monday morning.
We spoke to local health professionals to get their reaction.
Doctor Obiajulu Anozie joined Piedmont Macon's ICU unit not too long before the start of the pandemic.
"I definitely never envisioned a time like this, absolutely not," Anozie said.
Monday morning, the Food and Drug Administration issued full approval to the Pfizer vaccine.
Anozie said, "It's almost like coming full circle, because now we have a legitimate tool that has been certified and verified that we can use to really combat this."
It's a decision that may help lift public confidence in vaccinations as the nation battles the most contagious coronavirus strain yet.
"Someone needs the intensive care unit, it means something is going terribly wrong. The vaccines are meant to mitigate and prevent severe illness," Anozie said.
More than 200 million doses already have been administered in the U.S. since emergency use began in December.
Piedmont Macon's Infectious Disease Specialist Doctor Jennifer Hoffman thinks this official stamp of approval could sway unvaccinated people's minds.
"I'm really hoping now that the vaccine is fully FDA-approved, people will have more confidence and be more willing and get themselves vaccinated," Hoffman said.
She also thinks the approval will spur more vaccine mandates by companies, universities, and local governments.
Anozie said, "Hopefully, with these vaccines and people take that step forward and get vaccinated, it'll mean that even if they acquire illness, the likelihood is that that illness won't progress to a point they won't need the ICU, let alone needing hospitalization."
The FDA has never had so much evidence to judge a shot’s safety.
According to our sister Atlanta station, each vaccine company applied for FDA approval at different times, so approval processes vary.