(WASHINGTON, D.C.) — The hearing over Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine, which touted an efficacy of 95 percent in clinical trials, has been recommended by a panel from the Food and Drug administration for government authorization.

The hearing, held Thursday, was attended by infectious disease experts, doctors and scientists, who grilled Pfizer about their vaccine and looked over data pertaining to its clinical trials.

The group of individuals, known as the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, recommended the vaccine be administered to those over the age of 16.  

The panel voted 17-4 in favor of recommending the vaccine, saying the benefits outweigh the risks.  The vaccine awaits FDA approval, after looking into the input from the panel.

Food and Drug Administration Commissioner Stephen Hahn told Good Morning America on Thursday that the department will act “quickly.”

The approval comes as the U.S. surpasses 290,000 deaths related to COVID-19 early Thursday morning.  Currently, the death toll stands at 292,034 — which is 477 more than the number of U.S. soldier combat deaths in World War II.

The country is on track to reach 300,000 deaths by weeks end, reporting a record high of daily deaths Thursday — 3,054.

On September 11, 2001, 2,605 individuals died in the attacks on the World Trade Center.