August 26, 2021 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The National Black Caucus of State Legislators Applaud FDA Full Approval of Pfizer’s COVID-19 Vaccine

The National Black Caucus of State Legislators applauds the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) full approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.

We congratulate our corporate partner and key ally, Pfizer for reaching this pivotal moment in the fight against COVID-19. A considerable part of the vaccine hesitancy in our community was based on the notion that the vaccine was prepared too hastily, and thus lacked the necessary level of rigor with regard to testing and safety which Americans expect. The FDA’s full approval should push those fears aside, said Georgia State Representative Billy Mitchell, NBCSL President.

The FDA full approval of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine serves as the latest weapon in NBCSL’s arsenal to combat the spread of COVID-19. Last year, when the pandemic began to take a disproportionate toll on the black community, NBCSL established a COVID-19 Working Group that proposed a mitigation strategy to the National Governors’ Association, encouraging them to pre-position the resources needed to combat the pandemic in communities of color. Presently, NBCSL is partnering with PhRMA to produce public service announcements from members across the nation to encourage their constituents to get vaccinated against COVID-19. During our upcoming Annual Legislative Conference, NBCSL will formerly address what many believe to be the historical basis for vaccine hesitancy in the black community.

Repairing and in some cases establishing Black America’s relationship with the medical community is a delicate and tedious process, but we are committed to this endeavor. We look forward to the day when all Americans can begin to trust and have faith in our medical system, remarked Georgia State Representative Billy Mitchell, NBCSL President.

For more information on NBCSL’s efforts to combat the spread of COVID-19 click here: