Posted 9/15/23

The Food and Drug Administration this week approved an updated booster shot for COVID-19 aimed at new variants now spreading across the country. The variants have led to another round of cases and hospitalizations.

The updated vaccines, manufactured by Moderna and Pfizer-Bio-N-Tech, were designed to target the omicron variant, the dominant U.S. strain this spring and summer. It is also expected to protect against the now-dominant Omicron variant, EG.5.

Updated COVID-19 vaccine boosters are expected to soon be available in Tennessee

The booster is approved for people 12 and older and is authorized under emergency use for those six months through 11 years of age.

The vaccines are expected to be available across the country this week. When will they be available in Tennessee ? That's not exactly clear.

The cost could be potentially expensive for the uninsured, though federal assistance will make them free to most through 2024.