The US Food and Drug Administration approved updated Covid-19 vaccines on Thursday, allowing manufacturers to begin shipping doses to pharmacies and doctors’ offices across the country. The approvals cover vaccines from Moderna, Novavax-Sanofi, and Pfizer-BioNTech, all targeting the dominant XFG variant, as confirmed by the companies on Thursday after an advisory panel recommended the shots.
Approvals and eligibility
The vaccines are approved for individuals 65 and older, and for younger individuals with underlying conditions that increase the risk of negative outcomes from a Covid infection. For younger people with such conditions, age approvals vary by manufacturer: the Moderna shot is approved for children older than six months, the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine for those aged five and older, and Novavax-Sanofi for those aged 12 and up.
All manufacturers previously stated they could produce the updated shot in time for the 2026-27 immunization season. The decision follows an advisory panel’s recommendation that the shots should target the XFG variant, which is currently dominant.
Confusion over recommendations and coverage
Last fall, the Trump administration moved away from recommending Covid vaccines to everyone, prompting confusion over who is eligible to receive the shots. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends the immunizations “based on individual-based decision making,” according to the agency.
It remains unclear when, or whether, the administration will issue updated recommendations for the 2026-27 immunization season. The CDC advisory panel has been in limbo since a March ruling blocked health secretary Robert F Kennedy Jr’s appointment of a slate of vaccine advisors to the panel.
Impact on insurance and current Covid activity
The absence of a functioning CDC vaccine panel also raises questions over whether insurers will cover the updated shots. Insurers are typically required to cover vaccines recommended by the panel, but it is unclear what insurers will do if there is no recommendation.
CDC dashboards show current Covid-19 activity level, tracked via testing and wastewater monitoring, is low but rising in recent weeks. The approvals allow manufacturers to begin distributing doses immediately, though insurance coverage uncertainties may affect access for some individuals.
