FDA approves COVID-19 Vaccines

FDA approves COVID-19 vaccines for fall 2023

FDA approved updated versions of the Covid-19 vaccines made by Moderna and Pfizer as hospitalizations rise.

The vaccines are approved for those 12 years and up and are authorized under emergency use for those six months and up. A different vaccine made by Novavax is currently under review with the FDA for use in ages 12 and up.

Health experts will meet this week to discuss recommendations for using the new vaccines and are expected to be available by mid-September.

For these shots to reach the public, the CDC has to make an official recommendation, which could come as soon as Tuesday.

In June, US health officials told drugmakers to reformulate shots in time for fall that would protect against the XBB.1.5 subvariant that accounted for about 40% of Covid infections at the time.

Pfizer and Moderna have both said their updated shots also protect against EG.5, currently the most widely circulating variant.