FDA approves updated COVID vaccines for 2026-27 season

The Food and Drug Administration approved Moderna, Novavax-Sanofi and ​Pfizer-BioNTech's updated COVID vaccines, the companies ‌said on Thursday, following guidance from an advisory panel that the shots should target the dominant XFG variant.

Four COVID ​shots have been approved for use ⁠in the U.S. These are Moderna's mNEXSPIKE and Spikevax, Pfizer-BioNTech's Comirnaty — all ​three mRNA-based vaccines — and Novavax-Sanofi's protein-based shot, Reuters reported. 

All manufacturers said they'll have vaccines read for the 2026-27 immunization season. 

New data ⁠on ​strains is currently unavailable ​due to low sequencing submissions, according ⁠to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's COVID dashboard.