FDA approves updated Covid-19 vaccines targeting dominant XFG variant

The US Food and Drug Administration approved updated Covid-19 vaccines on Thursday, clearing the way for manufacturers to begin shipping doses to pharmacies and doctors' offices nationwide. The approval covers three manufacturers — Moderna, Novavax-Sanofi and Pfizer-BioNTech — whose updated shots now target XFG, the currently dominant coronavirus variant. The move followed a recommendation from an advisory panel.

All three manufacturers had previously said they would be able to produce the updated shots in time for the 2026-27 immunization season.

Who is eligible

The updated vaccines are approved mainly for people aged 65 and older, as well as younger individuals with underlying health conditions that raise their risk of severe outcomes from Covid-19. Age eligibility for younger at-risk individuals varies by manufacturer: Moderna's shot is approved for children older than six months, Pfizer-BioNTech's for those five and older, and Novavax-Sanofi's for those 12 and up.

Uncertainty over guidance and insurance coverage

Last fall, the Trump administration moved away from its earlier stance of recommending Covid vaccines for everyone, creating confusion over who was actually eligible for the shots. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now says its recommendations are based on individual decision-making.

It remains unclear whether, or when, the administration will issue updated guidance for the new season, as the CDC's advisory panel has been in limbo since March, when a court ruling blocked health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr's appointment of a new slate of vaccine advisers. Without a functioning panel, it's also unclear whether insurers will cover the updated vaccines, since coverage requirements typically apply only to shots recommended by the panel.

CDC data show that current Covid-19 activity, tracked through testing and wastewater monitoring, remains low but has been rising in recent weeks.