New COVID vaccine approved for fall. Here's who should get it

Updated COVID-19 vaccines for people 6 months and older will soon be available to patients following approval by the Food and Drug Administration announced Thursday.

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines come amid a summer surge in COVID-19 cases in the U.S. Walgreens and CVS, two of the largest retail chains, previously told USA TODAY that vaccine shipments could arrive within days of FDA approval.

The new vaccines target the prevalent new variants of the virus and protect against severe disease. Getting vaccinated now will provide protection when the expected winter wave arrives and other respiratory diseases become more common as people stay indoors.

In June, a federal advisory panel said new COVID-19 vaccines should target the JN.1 lineage, and the FDA recommended that manufacturers also focus on the JN.1 subvariant KP.2.

Pfizer, Moderna and Novavax had previously told federal regulators that their vaccines would be available in August, pending FDA approval. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will target the KP.2 subvariant using updated messenger RNA technology.

More:What to expect if you get reinfected with COVID: Symptoms to watch for this fall

Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel said COVID-19 continues to pose a significant health risk and is the leading cause of hospitalizations for respiratory illness, with over 600,000 COVID-19 hospitalizations expected in the U.S. during the 2023-24 season.

“Staying up to date with your COVID-19 vaccination remains one of the best ways for people to protect themselves and prevent severe illness,” Bancel said. “We welcome the U.S. FDA's timely review and encourage individuals to talk with their healthcare providers about whether they can receive their updated COVID-19 vaccine this fall in addition to their flu shot.”

According to a press release from Moderna, the updated vaccine composition is based on U.S. Food and Drug Administration guidance that the preferred composition for the updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine is a monovalent KP.2 composition.

Moderna is simultaneously producing an updated COVID-19 vaccine that targets the JN.1 variant of SARS-CoV-2. The company expects a decision from regulators soon on its applications for updated COVID-19 vaccines that target KP.2 and JN.1.

Novavax, whose vaccine has not yet been approved this year, uses a traditional protein-based vaccine against the JN.1 lineage, designed to elicit an immune response against circulating subvariants.

Novavax said in a statement that the company expects its prefilled syringes to be available “in time for peak vaccination season.”

Who should receive the new COVID vaccine?

People in high-risk groups — including people 65 and older and those with chronic conditions, organ transplants or cancer — should get their shot as soon as possible, said Dr. James Cutrell, an associate professor of medicine and infectious disease specialist at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas. These groups tend to be at higher risk of severe illness or death from COVID-19. They are eligible for a shot every four months.

Even if people were vaccinated last year, COVID-19 vaccine protection wanes over time. Plus, experts say it's important to get the current shot because it targets the newest variants circulating.

New COVID vaccine approved for fall. Here's who should get it

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