The Food and Drug Administration this week approved updated COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna, Pfizer, and Sanofi as children return to school and the XFG variant accounts for approximately 40 percent of U.S. cases, according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data from July.
The XFG variant is a recombinant omicron strain formed from a combination of two omicron subvariants.
Moderna's mRNA vaccine was approved for individuals aged six months through 64 years old with an underlying condition, and all adults aged 65 and older. Pfizer's mRNA vaccine is approved for those aged five years through 64 years old with an underlying condition, and all adults over 65. Sanofi's protein-based shot also received FDA approval.
Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt University Medical Center, said the vaccines work best at preventing severe disease and hospitalization. "Like the influenza virus, the COVID virus mutates and changes over time, and so we have to update the vaccine in our best attempt to match the strain that we anticipate will be most active during the coming winter," Schaffner said.
The CDC identifies several underlying conditions that place individuals at higher risk for severe COVID-19: cancer, asthma, chronic lung disease, diabetes, heart conditions, mental health conditions, and pregnancy.
The new vaccines are expected to be available in pharmacies, hospitals, and clinics throughout the U.S. in the coming days. Public health specialists confirmed it is safe for eligible individuals to receive a COVID-19 vaccine at the same time as a flu shot or RSV vaccine. Schaffner cautioned against delaying vaccinations, saying, "I'm always worried that a vaccine postponed may be a vaccine never received."
Access to free COVID-19 vaccines narrowed in August 2024 when the CDC ended its Bridge Access Program, which provided no-cost vaccines to uninsured adults and those whose insurance did not fully cover vaccine expenses.
