The U.S. has authorized the first pill against COVID-19, a Pfizer drug that Americans can take at home to reduce the risk of hospitalization and death.

The Food and Drug Administration announcement comes as the U.S. braces for a wave of new infections from the omicron variant that is threatening already-strained hospitals.

Pfizer's prescription pill is the first U.S. medication that doesn't require an injection or an IV, a long-awaited milestone in the battle against the virus.

But initial supplies will be extremely limited with just enough to treat tens of thousands of people. The drug was authorized for high-risk patients who are most likely to get severe illness.

Answers to 25 common COVID-19 vaccine questions

Vaccinations for COVID-19 began being administered in the U.S. on Dec. 14, 2020. The quick rollout came a little more than a year after the virus was first identified in November 2019. The impressive speed with which vaccines were developed has also left a lot of people with a lot of questions. The questions range from the practical—how will I get vaccinated?—to the scientific—how do these vaccines even work?

Keep reading to discover answers to 25 common COVID-19 vaccine questions.

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