FDA approves new COVID-19 shots

The US Food and Drug Administration has approved updated Covid-19 vaccines targeting the dominant XFG variant, allowing manufacturers to begin shipping doses to pharmacies and doctors' offices across the country. Moderna, Novavax-Sanofi, and Pfizer-BioNTech are among the companies whose updated vaccines have received approval after an advisory panel recommended targeting the XFG variant.

The vaccines are approved for individuals aged 65 and older, as well as for younger individuals with underlying conditions that put them at greater risk from Covid infections. Approval ages vary by manufacturer: the Moderna shot for children older than six months, Pfizer-BioNTech for those five and older, and Novavax-Sanofi for those 12 and up.

The decision follows the Trump administration's move away from recommending Covid vaccines to everyone, causing confusion over eligibility. Currently, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends immunizations based on individual-based decision making, but the absence of a functioning CDC vaccine panel raises questions about whether insurers will cover the updated shots.

While Covid-19 activity levels are currently low, as shown by CDC dashboards based on testing and wastewater monitoring, they are rising in recent weeks.