On the heels of the nation’s biggest summer COVID surge—test positivity peaked at 17.8% the week ended Aug. 10—help has arrived. The 2024–25 coronavirus vaccines, initially anticipated this fall, are now hitting U.S. clinics, hospitals, pharmacies, and other health care providers.
Back in June, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommended everyone ages 6 months and older get an updated vaccine as soon as they became available “later this year.” Last year’s 2023–24 vaccines launched in mid-September, and the public had been expecting the 2024–25 version around the same time this year. Citing skyrocketing disease spread, however, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in late August announced it had okayed the vaccines early.
