The Food and Drug Administration fully approved Pfizer-BioNTech’s COVID vaccine for individuals 16 and older, adding a boost of legitimacy to the shot now that it has shed its emergency use designation.

While many localities and governments, such as New York state’s, have already required inoculation against the virus, the Monday announcement is expected to persuade many more private industries and establishments to mandate the vaccine for employees, customers, and other personnel.

The agency’s decision comes amid a COVID rebound, triggered by the highly transmissible delta variant, has undermined some of the public health gains of the last year, sending case numbers surging in many states.

For the millions of hesitant Americans who have abstained from the vaccine, many of whom reside in the South and Midwest, the Biden administration hopes the full approval status will convince them of its merit.