• Posted August 28, 2025

FDA Approves Updated COVID Vaccines, But Fewer People Will Be Eligible

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.

This marks the most limited federal policy since the shots first became available.

The updated vaccines from Moderna, Pfizer and Novavax 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 reported.

The FDA now authorizes the vaccines for:

• Adults 65 and older.

• People under 65 with at least one underlying medical condition that raises their risk for severe illness.

• Children under 18 only after consulting a health care provider.

The Pfizer vaccine is cleared for ages 5 and older, Moderna’s for 6 months and up, and the Novavax shot for those 12 years and older.

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. 

That vote could affect access at pharmacies, where most Americans now receive vaccines, The Times said.

The advisory panel’s makeup has shifted under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who ousted all 17 previous members and brought on some vaccine critics in their place.

“The American people demanded science, safety and common sense,” Kennedy said in a post on X.

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’s shots, according to the CDC.

Some doctors also voiced concern over Kennedy’s decision to remove pregnant women from the CDC’s recommended vaccine schedule, despite research showing that vaccination lowers risks of stillbirth and maternal death. 

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists continues to advise pregnant women to get vaccinated, The Times said.

The CDC panel is expected to vote within a month. Its decision will guide insurance coverage and pharmacy availability in many states. 

COVID cases have risen slightly in recent weeks, especially among children under 11, CDC data show.

Despite lower death rates, doctors warn that COVID remains dangerous for older adults and people with underlying health conditions.

“Hesitancy remains high, and people think they can deal with COVID now without (the shot),” Dr. Janak Patel, an infectious disease specialist at the University of Texas Medical Branch, told The Times. “But as you can tell, we have big waves and we still have admissions and deaths.”

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has the latest on COVID vaccinations.

SOURCE: The New York Times, Aug. 27, 2025