The United States Food and Drug Administration has authorized the use of Pfizer Inc’s COVID-19 vaccine on Friday.

The United States is expected to start the inoculation within the next 24 hours, which is a huge milestone in a country where the virus has killed more than 292,000 people.

U.S. President Donald Trump said late on Friday that the first shot would be administered in less than 24 hours.

The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine has shown 95% effectiveness in preventing the disease.

The FDA said that the vaccine can be given to people aged 16 and above. Health care workers and elderly people in long-term care facilities will be the first one to receive the vaccine.

Around 2.9 million doses of vaccine have been secured so far.

More Americans will be given the vaccine once the US FDA gives the signal to Moderna.

The Pfizer/BioNTech vaccine was first rolled out in United Kingdom. Canada, Bahrain and Mexico also approved the vaccine. (TDT)