People 65 or older or with an underlying health condition will likely still be eligible for the new vaccine<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n
By I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
\n<\/b><\/p>\n
THURSDAY, Aug. 28, 2025 (HealthDay News) \u2014 The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved updated COVID-19 vaccines for the fall season but has restricted who can receive them.<\/p>\n
This marks the most limited federal policy since the shots first became available.<\/p>\n
The updated vaccines from Moderna<\/a>, Pfizer<\/a> and Novavax<\/a> target newer variants of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that are expected to circulate this winter. But the shots are no longer recommended for everyone, The New York Times <\/em>reported.<\/p>\n The FDA now authorizes the vaccines for:<\/p>\n Adults 65 and older.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n People under 65 with at least one underlying medical condition that raises their risk for severe illness.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n Children under 18 only after consulting a health care provider.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n The Pfizer vaccine is cleared for ages 5 and older, Moderna\u2019s for 6 months and up, and the Novavax shot for those 12 years and older.<\/p>\n Before the shots become widely available, an advisory committee of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) must vote on whether to recommend them.<\/p>\n That vote could affect access at pharmacies, where most Americans now receive vaccines, The Times <\/em>said.<\/p>\n The advisory panel\u2019s makeup has shifted under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr<\/a>., who ousted all 17 previous members and brought on some vaccine critics in their place.<\/p>\n \u201cThe American people demanded science, safety and common sense,\u201d Kennedy said in a post on X.<\/p>\n Many public health experts criticized the new limits, noting that uptake has already declined. In all, 23% of adults and 13% of people under 18 got last season\u2019s shots, according to the CDC.<\/p>\n Some doctors also voiced concern over Kennedy\u2019s decision to remove pregnant women from the CDC\u2019s recommended vaccine schedule, despite research showing that vaccination lowers risks of stillbirth and maternal death.<\/p>\n The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists continues to advise pregnant women to get vaccinated, The Times <\/em>said.<\/p>\n The CDC panel is expected to vote within a month. Its decision will guide insurance coverage and pharmacy availability in many states.<\/p>\n COVID cases have risen slightly in recent weeks, especially among children under 11, CDC data show.<\/p>\n Despite lower death rates, doctors warn that COVID remains dangerous for older adults and people with underlying health conditions.<\/p>\n \u201cHesitancy remains high, and people think they can deal with COVID now without (the shot),\u201d Dr. Janak Patel<\/a>, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Texas Medical Branch, told The Times<\/em>. \u201cBut as you can tell, we have big waves and we still have admissions and deaths.\u201d<\/p>\n More information<\/strong><\/p>\n The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has the latest on COVID vaccinations<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n