FDA Approves First COVID-19 Vaccine
Today (August 23, 2021), the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the first COVID-19 vaccine. The vaccine has been known as the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, and will now be marketed as Comirnaty (koe-mir’-na-tee), for the prevention of COVID-19 disease in individuals 16 years of age and older. The vaccine also continues to be available under emergency use authorization (EUA), including for individuals 12 through 15 years of age and for the administration of a third dose in certain immunocompromised individuals.
Stay at Home Order
On March 31, Governor Baker extended the stay-at-home advisory and non-essential business closure that was set to expire on April 7 until May 4, the same date that schools are to remain closed until. The 10-person limit on gatherings in the state has been extended as well, following a similar extension by the federal government.