"Fall Vaccines: Trio of Updated COVID Shots to Combat Viruses"

Updated COVID-19 vaccines, targeting the omicron descendant XBB.1.5, are expected to be approved within days, just in time to be paired with flu shots. The first vaccines for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are also rolling out for older adults and pregnant women. Health officials hope that widespread vaccination will help prevent another "tripledemic" like last year, with flu, RSV, and COVID-19 overwhelming hospitals. The FDA will decide if vaccine makers have met safety standards, and the CDC must sign off before vaccinations begin. The CDC advises yearly flu shots for everyone aged 6 months and older, and there are three flu shots specifically recommended for seniors. RSV vaccines are approved for adults 60 and older, and the FDA has approved Pfizer's RSV vaccine for use in late pregnancy. Advice on whether RSV vaccines should be given together with flu and COVID-19 shots is still to come. Additionally, an injection of lab-made antibodies to protect babies from RSV has been approved by the FDA.