The FDA on Thursday gave its nod to the updated COVID-19 vaccines for the 2024-25 season, preparing for an expected spike in cases this upcoming fall and winter.
Both Pfizer’s and Moderna’s updated vaccines are granted full approval for people age 12 and older, and they’re authorized for emergency use for children 6 months to 11 years old. The approval comes as COVID-19 infection rates have increased this summer, according to wastewater data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Experts predict that COVID-19 will spike twice per year, in the summer and winter, based on how the virus has evolved in past years. The FDA is planning to update the vaccines once per year, on the same timeline that annual flu vaccines are updated, depending on which strain is circulating.
