The US Food and Drug Administration has authorised the Pfizer BioNTech coronavirus vaccine for emergency use.
The agency had come under intense pressure from the Trump administration to approve the vaccine’s use.
FDA head Stephen Hahn was told to approve it on Friday or quit, US media said, although he called this “untrue”.
President Donald Trump says the first vaccinations will take place “in less than 24 hours”. The virus has now killed more than 292,000 in the US.
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, told reporters earlier on Friday that his department would work with Pfizer to get the mass vaccination programme started by Monday or Tuesday.
The agency had come under intense pressure from the Trump administration to approve the vaccine’s use.
FDA head Stephen Hahn was told to approve it on Friday or quit, US media said, although he called this “untrue”.
President Donald Trump says the first vaccinations will take place “in less than 24 hours”. The virus has now killed more than 292,000 in the US.
Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar, told reporters earlier on Friday that his department would work with Pfizer to get the mass vaccination programme started by Monday or Tuesday.