The Food and Drug Administration has authorized updated COVID-19 shots to be released as cases have risen throughout the U.S. over the summer.
Updated COVID-19 shots have been released in September in recent years as a rise in cases is expected to mimic trends with influenza and other viruses. Cases of COVID-19 and influenza have generally peaked in the cold weather months, such as December and January.
Instead of COVID-19 cases bottoming out in the summer, they have been on the rise this year.
RELATED STORY | COVID-19 dropped to 10th leading cause of US deaths in 2023
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, COVID-19-related emergency room visits were at levels in mid-August that mirrored late January. As of Aug. 10, COVID-19 was responsible for 2.4% of emergency room visits in the U.S. January 2024 had a similar number of visits.
By May, COVID-19 was responsible for just 0.3% of all emergency room visits.
What is different about this COVID-19 vaccine
The FDA said that fall 2024 COVID-19 vaccines will target the KP.2 variant of the virus, which is a descendant of the JN.1 variant that widely circulated throughout the U.S. during the winter.
"This change is intended to ensure that the COVID-19 vaccines (2024-2025 Formula) more closely match circulating SARS-CoV-2 strains." the FDA said.
Over the summer KP.3 and its descendants became the most prevalent strain of the virus. KP.3 and a descendant variant now account for over half of COVID-19 cases in the U.S. Like KP.2, KP.3 also mutated from the JN.1 variant.
RELATED STORY | New study shows how common long COVID symptoms are for children
KP.2 and KP.3 are known as FLiRT variants, because of their specific positions in the spike protein. Experts say these variants aren't more or less severe than previous variants, but more people have antibodies through vaccines and prior infection to better fight off an infection.
But as COVID-19 mutates, the body loses its ability to fight off the virus without vaccination or prior infection, experts say.
Will the vaccine be free, widely available?
Unlike in the early days of the pandemic, the federal government is not subsidizing free COVID-19 shots for Americans. Instead, the government is relying on private insurers to pay for vaccines, which is similar to how insurance companies handle flu shots.
Low-income Americans can get free COVID-19 shots through Medicaid. Local health departments may also help provide shots for low-income residents.
COVID-19 shots will generally be available at the same spots Americans can obtain flu shots. Vaccines are expected to be routinely available at major pharmacy chains, such as CVS and Walgreens.
Experts say people can get COVID-19 vaccines and flu shots at the same time. The 2024-25 flu shot is currently available.
According to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data, 22% of adults in the U.S. got a COVID-19 shot for the 2023-24 season.
Everyone age 5 years and older should get an updated COVID-19 vaccine to protect against serious illness, the CDC recommends.
