FDA Approves Updated COVID-19 Vaccines for 2026-27 Season

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved updated COVID-19 vaccines for the 2026-27 season on August 27, clearing the way for new doses to be shipped to pharmacies and clinics across the country. The approvals, which target the dominant XFG variant, are intended for people at higher risk of severe illness, including all adults 65 and older and younger individuals with certain underlying health conditions. The FDA authorized updated formulas from three manufacturers. Moderna's Spikevax is approved for individuals 6 months and older, Pfizer-BioNTech's Comirnaty for those 5 years and older, and the Novavax-Sanofi partnership's Nuvaxovid for people 12 and older.