08/17/2024

New COVID Vaccines for Variants Slated for Approval Next Week

Soon after, doctors' offices and pharmacies will have them available

Federal authorities are preparing to approve updated coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccines targeting the latest virus variants late next week, a move that could make shots available before Labor Day, according to a federal health official and a person familiar with the plans who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss a confidential process.

The mRNA shots manufactured by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna designed to target the KP.2 variant can hit the market within days of approval by the Food and Drug Administration. A third protein-based vaccine made by Novavax, preferred by people who are cautious about mRNA vaccines or who have had bad reactions to them, will probably take longer to be approved and will be distributed in subsequent weeks, according to the federal health official.

Consumers should be able to start getting shots at pharmacies within a week after approval and at doctor's offices soon after.

Please select this link to read the complete article from The Washington Post.