The U.S. drug regulator on Monday granted full approval to the Pfizer Inc/BioNTech SE COVID-19 vaccine, making it the first to secure such Food and Drug Administration validation as health authorities struggle to win over vaccine skeptics during a relentless pandemic.

Axar.az reports that the FDA, which gave the two-dose vaccine emergency-use authorization in December, gave its full approval for use in people age 16 and older based on updated data from the companies' clinical trial and manufacturing review. Public health officials hope the action will convince unvaccinated Americans that Pfizer's shot is safe and effective.

There is entrenched vaccine skepticism among some Americans, particularly conservatives. COVID-19 cases, driven by the highly infectious Delta variant, have surged in parts of the United States with lower vaccination levels.

"This FDA approval should give added confidence that this vaccine is safe and effective," President Joe Biden, who has sought to increase vaccination levels, wrote on Twitter.