Doctors doubt common side effects of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine will halt emergency use authorization |

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- The coronavirus vaccine could be approved in the U.S. on Thursday after the Food and Drug Administration meets to decide if the Pfizer vaccine will be authorized for emergency use.

But there are several factors for the FDA to consider when approving the vaccine, including the its potential side effects.

The vaccine has been approved in Canada and is already being distributed in the U.K. Once approved in the U.S., it will only take days for the first Americans to get the shot.

"We must build a trust in the American people," said Paul Ostrowski, director of supply, production and distribution for Operation Warp Speed. "We must make them understand that the science that went into this is gold standard."

But doctors are warning those with high chances of having an allergic reaction to avoid the vaccine after two people in the U.K. had to be treated with medication similar to an EpiPen.

They say there are common side effects with every vaccine, such as fever, muscle pain, chills and fatigue, and they doubt this will stop the FDA from approving the vaccine for emergency use Thursday.

"Those individuals should rethink about the benefit and the side effects are minimal, so that we can beat this pandemic and get back to our normal life," said Dr. Suresh K. Mittal, distinguished professor of virology at Purdue University.

Over the last week, the U.S. has averaged more than 206,000 new cases of COVID-19 a day. Once approved, officials say 20 million people are expected to be vaccinated in just the next several weeks, and by the second quarter of next year, there should be enough of the vaccine for all Americans who want it.

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