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New COVID-19 vaccines have been approved for the 2024-2025 season, targeting recently circulating variants. These updated vaccines aim to enhance protection against serious illness and hospitalization, addressing the ongoing evolution of the virus. Matthew Binnicker, MD, director of the Clinical Virology Laboratory at Mayo Clinic, provides insights into the importance and efficacy of these new vaccines.
Key Points:
- The FDA has approved new COVID-19 vaccines for individuals 6 months and older for the 2024-2025 season.
- Updated vaccines are designed to combat recently circulating variants, offering improved protection against severe illness and hospitalization.
- New COVID-19 variants can evade immunity from previous vaccination or infection, but existing immunity still helps protect against severe illness.
- The CDC recommends everyone 6 months and older receive the updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine for enhanced protection during fall and winter.
- Individuals who recently had a COVID-19 infection should wait three months before getting vaccinated, while those who received an older COVID-19 vaccine should wait two months.
- High-risk groups, including the immunocompromised, those over 75, individuals with certain preexisting health conditions, and pregnant individuals, should prioritize getting the updated vaccine.
“It appears that this virus is going to continue to change as immunity in the population wanes, either after vaccination or prior infection. New strains of this virus will cause outbreaks at different times of the year.”
– Matthew Binnicker, MD, Director of the Clinical Virology Laboratory at Mayo Clinic
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