Q. When will the FDA give Pfizer and Moderna vaccines approval? 

Pfizer and Moderna are currently both seeking full FDA approval.

Pfizer applied for full FDA approval on May 7, 2021. Moderna applied for full FDA approval on June 1, 2021. 

On December 11, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued the first emergency use authorization (EUA) to Pfizer for the prevention of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in individuals 16 years of age and older.

On May 10, 2021, the FDA expanded the emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine to include adolescents 12 through 15 years of age. 

On December 18, 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued the second emergency use authorization (EUA) to Moderna for the prevention of coronavirus disease. 

On February 27, 2021, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued the third emergency use authorization (EUA) to Janssen for the prevention of coronavirus disease. 

Q. Why is it important to get both doses in a series? 

Getting both doses of vaccine allows one to be better protected against COVID-19. It is important to get your second dose even if you have had the COVID-19 infection in the past.

The vaccines have been proven to be highly effective against serious illness and hospitalization as a result of contracting the virus.

The second dose allows our immune system to retain memory or knowledge of a virus for a longer period of time.

By receiving both doses of the vaccine you are not only protecting yourself, but also protecting your friends, family, and community.

Q. With the delta variant being more prominent, should the public be wearing masks?

Scientists believe the Delta variant may be twice as transmissible as the original coronavirus. 

The Delta variant has already begun creating surges in parts of Europe and Asia. If vaccination rates fail to keep up with the spread of the variant, this could lead to new COVID-19 surges in areas where a substantial amount of the population remains unvaccinated. The Delta variant's potential to infect some partially vaccinated individuals is alarming.

The mask mandates are recommended to protect unvaccinated individuals. Those who are fully vaccinated are already very well protected by vaccines. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Director Rochelle Walensky stated Wednesday, that fully vaccinated people are safe from the current variants and do not need to wear masks. The CDC is keeping to the current guidance as others call for a return to wearing masks indoors. Since it may be difficult to tell who is vaccinated and who is unvaccinated, an overall recommendation to wear masks can help to stop the spread of the virus. Due to this, certain areas have started to recommend wearing masks indoors.