Amid new spike, FDA approves updated COVID-19 shots

The FDA has approved Moderna’s updated COVID-19 vaccine alongside Pfizer’s vaccine, amid a significant spike in infections. This approval, which covers Americans 6 months and older, comes as hospitalizations for COVID-19 have nearly doubled compared to last summer. The vaccines, tailored to combat variants that emerged earlier this year, are expected to arrive in pharmacies and doctors’ offices within days. Pharmacies and doctors’ offices are expected to get the vaccines within days.

For the most vulnerable populations, particularly older Americans and those with compromised immune systems, the updated shots could be crucial. Despite the urgency, only a small percentage of eligible individuals have received last year’s booster shots. The Biden administration is working to secure funding to vaccinate uninsured Americans, though challenges remain, particularly in nursing homes, where less than a third of residents are up to date on their vaccinations.

Public health experts have expressed concern over the slow rollout of vaccines, particularly as new variants continue to spread rapidly. Last year’s vaccines offered moderate protection against infection, but this waned over time, emphasizing the importance of staying current with vaccinations to prevent severe disease. The CDC has identified $62 million in unused vaccine contract funding to help purchase vaccines for uninsured Americans, though the program that previously provided free shots will expire soon, potentially leaving some without access.

In recent weeks, people have been hospitalized with COVID-19 at a rate nearly twice as high as during the same time last summer. By late July, COVID-19 was killing roughly 600 Americans a week, a substantial drop from this winter but double the number from this spring. The availability of boosters has not translated into actual vaccinations. By spring, only one in five adults had received last year’s updated COVID-19 vaccine.