FDA Approves 4 Updated COVID-19 Vaccines for 2026–2027 Season

• The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved four updated COVID-19 vaccines for the 2026–2027 season, all targeting the JN.1-lineage XFG variant.
• All four vaccines are approved for adults ages 65 and older, as well as younger people with underlying conditions that put them at higher risk of severe COVID-19, with eligibility varying by vaccine.
• The updated vaccines are designed to provide protection against currently circulating COVID-19 variants ahead of the fall and winter season.

On August 27, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced approval of four updated COVID-19 vaccines from Moderna, Novavax-Sanofi, and Pfizer-BioNTech for the 2026–2027 season. 

Each of these updated vaccines is designed to target the JN.1-lineage XFG variant, which is currently the most prevalent globally. 

The updated vaccines are approved for all adults ages 65 and older, as well as younger people with underlying conditions that put them at higher risk of severe COVID-19.

What are the four approved COVID-19 vaccines? 

While all of these updated vaccines target the same variant, eligibility varies by age and underlying health conditions.

• COMIRNATY (Pfizer-BioNTech): Approved for ages 5 years and older with underlying conditions, and all adults 65 and older
• SPIKEVAX (Moderna): Approved for ages 6 months and older with underlying conditions, and all adults 65 and older
• MNEXSPIKE (Moderna): Approved for ages 12 years and older with underlying conditions, and all adults 65 and older
• NUVAXOVID (Novavax): Approved for ages 12 years and older with underlying conditions, and all adults 65 and older

COMIRNATY, SPIKEVAX, and MNEXSPIKE are all mRNA vaccines, while NUVAXOVID is a protein-based vaccine. 

Why is an updated COVID-19 vaccine important? 

Updated COVID-19 vaccines are important because they target new viral strains. 

Monica Gandhi, MD, Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco School of Medicine, told Healthline that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, evolves quickly mainly because it is in such high circulation and transmission is often high as it is at the moment.

“COVID (and influenza) vaccines are updated each fall in order to provide the best match with the version of the viruses that will be dominant during the coming winter,” William Schaffner, MD, Professor, Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University, told Healthline.

“The mRNA technology can respond rapidly to changing strains, so the updated vaccines will result in good protection against getting seriously ill,” he said. 

“It is hard to match the yearly vaccine with the most recent variant (SW2 is actually the most prevalent variant in the US at 21%), but XFG and SW2 are closely related, so this latest FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine should protect Americans who get the booster this year against severe disease and even getting infected if exposed, depending on the variant to which they are exposed,” added Gandhi.

COVID-19 continues to evolve, and annual vaccine updates help ensure protection against currently circulating strains. 

As of August 26, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimated that COVID-19 cases are growing or likely growing in 47 states. 

Who should consider the COVID-19 vaccine? 

All of the updated vaccines are approved for people 65 years old and older. This group is prioritized for vaccines due to a higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19. 

The vaccines are also approved for people who have underlying health conditions, including: 

• chronic kidney disease (CKD)
• chronic lung disease, such as COPD, pulmonary embolism, or pulmonary hypertension
• heart conditions 
• diabetes
• obesity
• liver disease
• people who are pregnant

Gandhi added that those who are in close contact with anyone who is high risk should also consider getting the vaccine.

Schaffner also noted, “In addition, anyone who is interested in preventing this illness can take advantage of the vaccine.” 

If you fall into one of these categories or are concerned about COVID-19, you can speak with your healthcare professional about a COVID-19 vaccine.