The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved updated Covid-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna on Thursday, amid an uptick in new cases since June.
The new formula was developed using the KP.2 variant of the virus, with the aim of targetting current variants more effectively and thus providing better protection against hospitalisation or death, the FDA explained.
These vaccines are approved for use from six months old.
The pharmaceutical companies promised that doses would be available in US pharmacies and hospitals in the coming days.
During the 2023-24 season, over 600,000 Covid-19 hospitalisations were reported in the US, according to Stéphane Bancel, CEO of Moderna. He noted that keeping up-to-date with the Covid-19 vaccine was one of the best ways to stay protected.
The US is now conducting an annual Covid-19 vaccination campaign with tailored vaccines, similarly to the flu campaign. However, data from the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) shows that only 22.5% of adults and 14% of children have received the updated vaccine for the 2023-2024 season.
