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Pfizer Vaccine Cleared in U.S., a Landmark in Covid-19 Fight

  • Built from new technology, shot was developed in just months
  • Authorization sets the stage for vast immunization effort
A vial of the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech.
A vial of the Covid-19 vaccine developed by Pfizer and BioNTech.Photographer: Victoria Jones/AFP/Getty Images
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Pfizer Inc. gained emergency U.S. authorization for its Covid-19 vaccine on Friday, completing an unprecedented scientific sprint that could eventually help bring an end to a pandemic that has killed nearly 300,000 Americans.

The Food and Drug Administration’s decision to authorize use of Pfizer and partner BioNTech SE’s vaccine will now set in motion a complicated immunization drive that will launch across the country in coming days.