By Teddy Cambosa

The American Pharmacists Association (APhA) has shown readiness on the recent announcement by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in authorizing the use of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in various states in the United States.

Image by Delwar Hussain Shakil from Pixabay

In a press release, Scott J. Knoer, MS, PharmD, FASHP, executive vice president and CEO of the American Pharmacists Association, stated that the association will be ready in providing their services as essential health care providers during the course of the global pandemic.

“Throughout this past week, as the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine found its way into institutions and communities across the country, trained and trusted pharmacists, student pharmacists and pharmacy technicians delivered the vaccine to thousands of front-line health care providers and residents of long-term care facilities,” Knoer stated.

He also noted in his statement that he expects 6 million of these doses to be distributed to over 30,000 locations in the country.

While the vaccine distribution is set to be launched by next week, Knoer hopes that alongside this healthcare step, Americans should heed to other prevention protocols, such as mask-wearing and social distancing.

“We sincerely hope that the FDA’s actions over the past week mark the beginning of the end of the pandemic. We are confident in the care that the FDA has taken to ensure that the Moderna vaccine is safe and effective,” Knoer concluded.

The vaccine, created by American biotechnology company Moderna, was given emergency use authorization (EUA) by the FDA a week after the Pfizer vaccine was approved by the administration. With strict priority set for 18 years old and above, the dosage is given out as two dosages, one month apart.

Teddy Cambosa is a BS Biology student and a campus journalist at Batangas State University in the Philippines