"Boosting Fall Protection: US Greenlights Upgraded COVID Vaccines"

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved updated COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech, aiming to enhance protection against the latest coronavirus variants and mitigate a potential surge in the fall and winter. The decision allows most Americans, including those who have not received a prior COVID-19 vaccination, to access the updated shots. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) will issue recommendations on who should receive the updated vaccines, with vaccinations potentially starting later this week. The FDA is still reviewing an updated shot from Novavax. The new vaccines target the omicron variant and are expected to provide good cross-protection against currently circulating strains. The CDC will determine the strength of the recommendation for different groups, and the shots will be free for most Americans.