FDA Approves Updated COVID Vaccines to Boost Protection

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorized updated COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna that target the Omicron variant of the coronavirus. The vaccines are expected to be available for most people in the United States in the coming days. The FDA approval includes emergency use authorization for children ages 6 months through 11 years. Novavax's vaccine is still under review by the FDA, and the company expects authorization in the near term. The authorization follows a rise in cases and the emergence of new subvariants of the Omicron variant. The CDC is expected to endorse the new shots, paving the way for their rollout in September.