FDA approves Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine - now called Comirnaty

On Monday, August 24, 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.

And where did the name come from?

“Comirnaty…represents a combination of the terms COVID-19, mRNA, community, and immunity, to highlight the first authorization of a messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine, as well as the joint global efforts that made this achievement possible,” said Pfizer when they announced the European Union authorization last year.

More information here