Brady Collins
The COVID-19 vaccines have been updated for 2025-2026 to combat new variants of the virus, including the Omicron variant and its subvariants. The new vaccines will be available in the fall, and the data shows that they are safe and effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalisation, and death. They are also effective in lowering the risk of long COVID. The updated monovalent vaccines will target LP.8.1, a subvariant of the Omicron JN.1 lineage. The World Health Organization has stated that the new vaccines should offer protection against the Omicron variant and its dominant subvariants.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Vaccines targeted at Omicron variants | BA.4 and BA.5 (2022), XBB (2023), LP.8.1 (2025) |
| Vaccine eligibility | Previously 6 months and older, now restricted to 65 and older or high-risk individuals with underlying conditions |
| Vaccine effectiveness | Very effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalisation and death |
| mRNA vaccines | Can be updated and manufactured quickly, highly effective against new variants |
| Whole-virus vaccines | Slower production time, less effective against new variants |
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What You'll Learn
The 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccines
The COVID-19 vaccines for 2025-2026 have been updated and will be available in the fall. The updated vaccines have been approved by the FDA, but with limitations on who can receive them. The new vaccines have been reformulated to more closely match currently circulating strains and will offer protection against the dominant XFG variant, a descendant of Omicron, and other emerging strains.
The updated monovalent vaccines will target LP.8.1, a subvariant of the Omicron JN.1 lineage. Novavax is formulated to target the JN.1 variant. The vaccines will be effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalisation, and death, especially in vulnerable groups. They will also lower the risk of long COVID.
The new vaccines will be available to people over the age of 65 and those with certain underlying conditions that put them at high risk for severe COVID-19 infection. For children, Secretary Kennedy is requiring shared decision-making between parents and physicians, which will require a conversation and possibly a prescription for the COVID-19 vaccine.
It is important to note that the landscape of COVID-19 vaccines and variants is ever-evolving, and new information and updates may arise.
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Effectiveness against new variants
The COVID-19 vaccines have been updated for 2025-2026 and are expected to offer protection against the XFG variant, a descendant of the Omicron variant, and other emerging strains. The updated vaccines will be effective in preventing severe illness, hospitalisation, and death, according to the World Health Organization. The vaccines will also lower the risk of long COVID-19.
The 2025-2026 vaccines have been reformulated to more closely match circulating strains. The updated monovalent vaccines will target LP.8.1, a subvariant of the Omicron JN.1 lineage. Novavax is formulated to target the JN.1 variant. Pfizer has stated that its vaccine protects against multiple circulating variants, including XFG (Stratus), NB.1.8.1 (Nimbus), and other emerging strains.
In the past, mRNA vaccines have proven to be more effective against new variants than whole-virus vaccines. mRNA vaccines can be updated and manufactured quickly, usually within two to three months, which is significantly faster than the time required to develop a whole-virus vaccine. This speed is due to the fact that creating an mRNA vaccine only requires sequencing the virus's genetic code, a process that currently takes a few hours.
The 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccines have been approved by the FDA, but their availability is limited to "high-risk" individuals, including people over 65 and those with specific underlying conditions. The CDC has also stated that anyone who has recently had COVID-19 may need to consider delaying their vaccination by three months.
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Vaccine eligibility
The 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccines more closely target the Omicron variant and its subvariants. These vaccines are updated to provide the best protection against the currently circulating strains. The CDC recommends the 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine for most adults aged 18 and older, including those who have previously been infected or vaccinated.
However, eligibility for the updated COVID-19 vaccines has become more restricted. The FDA has limited the updated shots to "high-risk" individuals, specifically those aged 65 and above or with underlying health conditions. This marks a significant shift from previous years, when the vaccines were available to anyone aged six months and older. The CDC has also dropped its recommendation for healthy children and pregnant women to receive the vaccine routinely.
These restrictions have raised concerns among health experts, who worry about the potential for increased spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses. They emphasize that vaccination prevents severe illness, hospitalization, and death. Some experts recommend that individuals consult their doctors to determine their eligibility for the vaccine and explore options for obtaining it.
It is worth noting that the eligibility criteria and vaccine availability may vary across different regions and states. The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices plays a crucial role in guiding pharmacists' ability to administer vaccines in certain states. As such, individuals should stay informed about the latest guidelines and recommendations provided by their local health authorities.
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Vaccine accessibility
Vaccines are expected to provide protection against severe disease and death caused by the Omicron variant, as they do with other variants. The World Health Organization (WHO) designated Omicron as a variant of concern due to its high number of mutations, which increases the risk of transmission and potential resistance to vaccines.
While vaccines are expected to provide important protection against Omicron, access to these vaccines has been a challenge for many. Initially, COVID-19 vaccines were available to anyone aged 6 months and older, regardless of their health status. However, in 2025, new restrictions were imposed by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in the United States, limiting the updated shots to "'high-risk'" individuals. These include people aged 65 and older, those with certain underlying health conditions, and younger adults and children with at least one chronic health condition.
The changes in eligibility criteria have generated confusion and concern among the public, with experts warning of a potential increase in hospitalizations and deaths during the winter season if vaccine access is limited. The CDC's decision to no longer recommend the vaccine for healthy children and pregnant women has also been met with criticism from leading medical groups, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
The eligibility criteria for COVID-19 vaccines may vary depending on the region and the recommendations of local health authorities. It is important for individuals to stay informed about the latest guidelines and consult with healthcare providers to determine their eligibility and the benefits of vaccination.
Despite the restrictions, some states in the US, such as Pennsylvania and Colorado, have taken steps to broaden access by allowing pharmacists to administer COVID-19 vaccines without a prescription. Additionally, the list of health problems that qualify individuals for the vaccines is broad, including conditions such as weak immune systems, asthma, depression, diabetes, high blood pressure, and a sedentary lifestyle.
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mRNA vaccines
The Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine (Comirnaty) and Moderna's vaccine are both mRNA vaccines that have been updated over time to target new variants of SARS-CoV-2. The original mRNA vaccines from these companies were introduced in December 2020 and protected against the original SARS-CoV-2 virus. Since then, they have been updated multiple times to target different iterations of the Omicron variant.
In 2022, bivalent vaccines were introduced, targeting both the original virus and the Omicron BA.4 and BA.5 variants. In 2023, a monovalent shot was introduced, targeting the XBB lineage of the Omicron variant. The latest mRNA vaccines for 2025-2026 will target the LP.8.1 subvariant of the Omicron JN.1 lineage.
According to a CDC summary from November 2024, the 2024-2025 vaccines were expected to work well against new predominant strains and other variants. Research has also suggested that vaccinated individuals who get infected are less likely to experience Long COVID compared to unvaccinated individuals.
A Norwegian study on the effectiveness of mRNA booster vaccinations against the Omicron BA.1/2 wave found that the effectiveness of the booster vaccination increased with the severity of COVID-19 and decreased with time since the booster vaccination. The effectiveness against severe COVID-19 was 80.9% shortly after the booster vaccination, reducing to 63.4% more than 90 days after vaccination.
Another study from Beijing, China, found that inactivated COVID-19 vaccines were effective in preventing COVID-19-related hospitalizations during the Omicron BF.7-predominant epidemic wave.
Overall, while mRNA vaccines may not prevent mild COVID-19 infections, they have proven effective in preventing severe disease, hospitalization, and death, especially when boosted.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, the COVID-19 vaccine protects against severe disease, complications and death, and it also lowers the risk of long COVID. The 2025-2026 vaccines have been reformulated to more closely match currently circulating strains and their subvariants, including Omicron.
The 2025-2026 vaccine is available to people over the age of 65 and those with certain underlying conditions. In the past, it was also available to children over the age of 6 months, but this has changed recently.
The COVID-19 vaccines are very effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalisation and death. The LP.8.1 vaccines generate a stronger immune response than earlier shots, and Pfizer's vaccine protects against multiple circulating variants, including XFG (Stratus), NB.1.8.1 (Nimbus) and other emerging strains.
![Omicron [DVD]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/61N0xWW7HrL._AC_UL320_.jpg)
