Local doctors are praising the Food and Drug Administration for authorizing full approval of Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccine.

"This is a milestone day today," says Dr. Ajay Kumar, chief clinical officer with Hartford HealthCare. Kumar says Pfizer's FDA approval comes at a critical time. He says Hartford Healthcare has seen a huge jump in COVID-19 patients since the spread of the delta variant began.

Kumar explaines that breakthrough infections are happening in the elderly, with 117 across the state and seven currently at Saint Vincent's Medical Center.

Last month, Hartford Healthcare reported only 10 or 12 cases statewide.

Kumar says most of those patients are unvaccinated, and he hopes Monday's news will change that.

"So what it means to all of us right now is that individuals who are still on the fence to get the vaccine hopefully can get a fresh or better reassurance about the vaccines as we go forward," Kumar says.

Kumar says it generally takes two years for the FDA to approve vaccines, but this was an emergency.

"We from the scientific and medical community felt it could have been done earlier on," Kumar says.

He adds that he doesn't know yet when the Moderna vaccine will get full FDA approval, but it will possibly happen in September or October.

He also hopes a push for possible booster shots will help.

Doctors say they also hope for full FDA approval of COVID-19 vaccines for 12- to 15-year-olds.