The FDA tells Covid-19 vaccine makers to update shot to target the variant currently in circulation

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has advised vaccine manufacturers to update their Covid-19 shots to better match the JN.1 lineage of the virus. This variant, along with its descendants, KP.2 and KP.3, are the most common strains causing illness. Studies have shown that the current vaccines are less effective against these variants. The FDA’s advisory committee unanimously recommended the update, citing improved protection from previous reformulations. Despite relatively low Covid-19 cases and hospitalization rates, the concern is that protection provided by vaccination or prior infection wanes over time. Vaccine makers are aiming to have new products available in the fall. The challenge now lies in convincing more people to get vaccinated, as only around 25% of adults have received the most recent vaccine version.