As COVID-19 surveillance metrics tracked by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tick up this month, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration Thursday approved new vaccines.
In a press release, the FDA announced that it had granted emergency use authorization (EUA) for updated mRNA COVID-19 2024-2025 formula vaccines to include a monovalent (single) component that corresponds to the Omicron variant KP.2 strain of SARS-CoV-2. As of Aug. 17, KP strains were the most common type of COVID found in the U.S.
“The mRNA COVID-19 vaccines have been updated with this formula to more closely target currently circulating variants and provide better protection against serious consequences of COVID-19, including hospitalization and death,” said the FDA. Back in June, the FDA advised vaccine manufacturers on the strains that new vaccines should target – specifically the JN.1-lineage for the KP.2 strain.
One of the vaccines approved this week is an updated version of Comirnaty from BioNTech and another is an updated version of Spikevax from Moderna. Both are approved for people age 12 and older. Additionally, the “Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine” and “Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine” have also been updated and both are authorized for emergency use for individuals 6 months through 11 years of age, said the FDA.
While the days of showing vaccine cards to get into restaurants may be behind us, experts still stress that getting updated vaccines is an important way to prevent viral spread and severe cases of COVID.
“Vaccination continues to be the cornerstone of COVID-19 prevention,” said Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. He added that, “given waning immunity of the population from previous exposure to the virus and from prior vaccination, we strongly encourage those who are eligible to consider receiving an updated COVID-19 vaccine to provide better protection against currently circulating variants.”
According to the FDA, unvaccinated individuals 6 months through 4 years of age are eligible to receive three doses of the updated, authorized Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine or two doses of the updated, authorized Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine. Previously vaccinated Individuals 6 months through 4 years of age who have previously been vaccinated against COVID-19 are eligible to receive one or two doses of the updated, authorized Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines.
Children who are 5 years through 11 years of age are eligible to receive a single dose of the updated, authorized Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines. If children have recently been vaccinated, the dose should be administered at least 2 months after the last dose of any COVID-19 vaccine.
Children who are 12 years of age and older are eligible to receive a single dose of the updated, approved Comirnaty or the updated, approved Spikevax. For those recently vaccinated the dose should be administered at least two months after their last dose.
“Additional doses are authorized for certain immunocompromised individuals ages 6 months through 11 years of age as described in the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine fact sheets,” said the FDA.
Side effects related to these updated vaccines should be similar to previous doses, including a sore arm after injection. The updated mRNA vaccines were also manufactured using a similar process as previous formulas of these vaccines.
Holly Quan of Audacy’s KCBS Radio in San Francisco asked Dr. Peter Chin Hong, Infectious disease expert at UCSF, to share some advice about when people should head out to get their latest vaccine dose.
“I still think the best time to get both the flu and the COVID shot is in October, because you really want to prepare for the winter period,” said Chin Hong. “However, the big kicker this year is that we still have a surge or increase in cases, as you mentioned, in California and in many states across the country.”
At the same time, he said getting it early may be the best choice for people who plan to travel soon or if getting it out of the way is simply more convenient.
“Go ahead and get the shot,” he said. “It’s very closely linked to what is circulating. You’re going to have some protection against infection. Because it’s so closely related to what’s circulating – and as well as serious disease…. that protection against serious disease will probably last for a year or so.”