
WASHINGTON, Dec. 13 (Xinhua) -- Director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Robert Redfield said on Sunday he has signed the recommendation of a key CDC advisory group to use the COVID-19 vaccine of American drugmaker Pfizer in partnership with German company BioNTech.
Initial COVID-19 vaccination is set to start as early as Monday, Redfield said in a statement.
"Last night, I was proud to sign the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices' recommendation to use Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine in people 16 and older," he said.
This official CDC recommendation follows Friday's decision of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to authorize the emergency use of the vaccine.
As COVID-19 cases continue to surge throughout the country, CDC's recommendation comes at a critical time, said Redfiled.
Initial COVID-19 vaccination is set to start as early as Monday, he said, adding it is the next step in the efforts to protect Americans, reduce the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, and help restore some normalcy to the lives of the American people and the country.
A total of 213,305 new cases and 2,283 deaths were reported across the country on Saturday, according to data updated Sunday by the CDC.
The United States has recorded more than 16.19 million cases with over 298,700 related deaths as of Sunday afternoon, according to the real-time count kept by Johns Hopkins University.
Fire brigade in Shanghai holds group wedding
Tourists enjoy ice sculptures in Datan Town, north China
Sunset scenery of Dayan Pagoda in Xi'an
Tourists have fun at scenic spot in Nanlong Town, NW China
Harbin attracts tourists by making best use of ice in winter
In pics: FIS Alpine Ski Women's World Cup Slalom
Black-necked cranes rest at reservoir in Lhunzhub County, Lhasa
China's FAST telescope will be available to foreign scientists in April
"She power" plays indispensable role in poverty alleviation
Top 10 world news events of People's Daily in 2020
Top 10 China news events of People's Daily in 2020
Top 10 media buzzwords of 2020
Year-ender:10 major tourism stories of 2020
No interference in Venezuelan issues
Biz prepares for trade spat
Broadcasting Continent
Australia wins Chinese CEOs as US loses