New COVID Shots Will Be Available Soon — Here's What You Need To Know
HuffPost
COVID levels are at the highest they’ve been since January of this year.
As COVID-19 cases continue to surge, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved updated COVID vaccines from both Pfizer and Moderna on Thursday.
The new vaccines are an update from last year’s shots and aim to keep people better protected by targeting a recently dominant COVID-19 subvariant, KP.2, which more closely resembles the subvariants that are currently making people sick.
“They now cover the strain that is the most commonly circulating strain in the United States, and that’s important because our vaccinations from last year, which, while wonderful, were not targeted to these new strains that we’re seeing now,” said Dr. Jodie Guest, the senior vice chair of the department of epidemiology at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health in Atlanta.
Plus, this year’s shots are available earlier than last year, which is a good thing.
“Having them come out about three weeks earlier than last year is actually better for school. Kids are eligible for them faster, and faculty and staff [are eligible for them] faster as the school year starts, and that’s great news,” Guest said.
