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As the number of COVID-19 cases continues to rise, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has authorized an updated vaccine for use ahead of winter in the Northern Hemisphere. The emergency use authorization applies to updated mRNA vaccines from both Pfizer and Moderna.
The booster shots target the JN.1 and KP.2 strains of SARS-CoV-2, both of which are omicron variants. Last year’s booster shot focused on the omicron subvariant XBB.1.5, which has long since lost the evolutionary arms race.
Both the Spikevax (Moderna) and Comirnaty (Pfizer) vaccines have been updated. While the vaccine is intended for people ages 12 and older, parents of children ages six months to 11 years are also eligible for the updated vaccines due to the FDA’s emergency use authorization.
“Vaccination remains the cornerstone of COVID-19 prevention,” said Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. “These updated vaccines meet the agency’s rigorous scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality. Given the waning population immunity from previous exposure to the virus and from previous vaccinations, we strongly recommend that everyone who is eligible get vaccinated with an updated COVID-19 vaccine to ensure greater protection against the variants currently circulating.”
Updated vaccines will soon arrive in hospitals and pharmacies as Moderna and Pfizer are ready to deliver vaccines. After injection, booster shots take a few weeks to reach maximum protection, and they continue to provide that protection for several months after vaccination. Keep that in mind as you think about when to get your booster shot for maximum effectiveness.
