FDA Approves Four Updated COVID-19 Vaccines for 2026-2027 Season
The FDA has approved four updated COVID-19 vaccines for the 2026-2027 respiratory season. Independent medical groups also released updated flu vaccination guidance, recommending shots for everyone six months and older.
The Food and Drug Administration has approved four updated COVID-19 vaccines for the 2026-2027 respiratory season. The approvals come as health officials prepare for the fall and winter months, when respiratory viruses typically spread more widely.
The updated vaccines are formulated to target the most recent circulating variants. The FDA did not specify which manufacturers received approval in the initial announcement, but the agency said the vaccines meet its safety and efficacy standards.
Alongside the COVID-19 approvals, independent medical advisory groups released updated flu vaccination guidance for 2026-2027. The guidance recommends flu shots for everyone six months and older, consistent with prior years.
Health officials are encouraging people to get both vaccines, noting that co-administration is safe and that getting vaccinated early in the season provides the best protection. Last year's respiratory season saw significant hospitalizations among unvaccinated adults over 65.
The FDA also approved the cancer drug Rasonque, known generically as daraxonrasib, for metastatic pancreatic cancer this month. Pancreatic cancer has one of the lowest survival rates of any cancer type, and new treatment options have been limited.
