The United States is awaiting the authorization of the first COVID-19 vaccine after the Food and Drug Administration gave its strongest indication yet that it would give an emergency use authorization for the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine Friday evening.

The FDA Commissioner Stephen Hahn said the agency would “rapidly work toward finalization and issuance of an emergency use authorization,” adding that “the agency has also notified the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Operation Warp Speed, so they can execute their plans for timely vaccine distribution.”