Dec. 19, 2020
NBAA commended the FAA for its prompt approval for pilots to use Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine without risk to a medical certificate.
The agency’s decision comes on the heels of approval for use of the vaccine by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Last week, the FAA provided similar approval for emergency-use authorization, or EUA, for pilots to take Pfizer’s anti-COVID inoculation. Absent the EUA, pilots using either the Pfizer or Moderna vaccines could jeopardize their medical certificates.
As with the Pfizer-vaccine approval, the FAA’s newest directive requires pilots to refrain from flying for 48 hours after receiving an inoculation. The Moderna vaccine requires the two doses be taken 28 days apart, while the Pfizer vaccine doses must be split by a 21-day waiting period.
“The FAA has again made a prompt and informed decision on this second option for inoculation against COVID-19,” said NBAA Vice President, International and Regulatory Affairs Doug Carr. “We thank Administrator Dickson and his team for their consistent, thoughtful guidance, which keeps both the safety and health of pilots in focus.”
Learn more about the FAA’s approval for pilots to take Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccine.