As much as most of us would like to think the pandemic is behind us, COVID-19 is still very much around. With hospitalizations rising since mid-summer, health officials are watching new variants that have an alarming number of mutations. So the U.S. Food and Drug Administration greenlit an updated COVID-19 vaccine on Sept. 11, and the following day the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended the new shot for everyone six months and older. 

After listening to the day-long discussion of CDC’s panel of vaccine experts, here’s what I learned:

• The new vaccine targets XBB.1.5, the variant that was causing the most infections earlier this summer when the FDA asked vaccine makers to start manufacturing shots in order to build up an adequate supply for the fall and winter.
  
• XBB.1.5 is no longer causing most infections now. But data from Moderna, Pfizer-BioNtech, and Novavax showed that the XBB vaccine produces good antibody immune responses against other new variants too.
• The updated vaccine will be the first COVID-19 shot that won’t be paid for by the government, but those who can’t afford it can get the shot through the CDC’s Bridge Access Program, and local sites will be available on vaccines.gov by the end of the week. Most insurers will continue to cover the COVID-19 vaccine with no co-pay.

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