Updated COVID-19 Vaccines Are Here: What You Need to Know for the 2026–2027 Season

Originally published: August 28, 2026

As students head back to classrooms and fall gets underway, updated COVID-19 vaccines are on the way. In late August 2026, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved this season's updated vaccines, which are designed to better match the version of the virus circulating most widely right now.

Which vaccines were approved?

Moderna and Pfizer both received approval for updated mRNA vaccines, and Sanofi received approval for a protein-based vaccine, a technology similar to vaccines that have been in use for decades. Like the flu virus, the virus that causes COVID-19 changes over time, so vaccines are updated each year to match the strain experts expect to be most active during the fall and winter. The closer the match, the more effective the vaccine.

What strain do the vaccines target?

The 2026–2027 vaccines target XFG, a recombinant omicron variant that formed when two omicron subvariants combined. According to CDC data from July, XFG accounted for roughly 40% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S.

Who is eligible?

• Moderna: people ages 6 months to 64 years with an underlying health condition, and all adults 65 and older.

• Pfizer: people ages 5 to 64 years with an underlying health condition, and all adults 65 and older.

According to the CDC, conditions that raise the risk of severe COVID-19 include, but are not limited to, cancer, asthma, chronic lung disease, diabetes, heart conditions, mental health conditions and pregnancy. Experts note that the vaccines work best at preventing severe illness, hospitalization and ICU stays.

Where can you get vaccinated?

This season's vaccines are expected to roll out to pharmacies, hospitals and clinics across the U.S. Public health specialists say it is safe to get a COVID-19 vaccine at the same visit as a flu shot or an RSV vaccine for those who are eligible, either in separate arms or spaced apart in the same arm.

Are the vaccines free?

The CDC's Bridge Access Program, which provided free COVID-19 vaccines to uninsured and underinsured adults, ended in August 2024, and it is not yet clear whether uninsured people will be able to get vaccines through state or local health departments this season. Experts are hopeful that most insurance plans, including Medicare Part B and Medicaid, will cover the updated vaccine at no cost. Insurers generally must cover vaccines recommended by the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP); earlier this year, a federal judge stayed Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s appointments to that panel.

Who should prioritize getting vaccinated?

Even for people who have been vaccinated or infected before, immunity fades over time. Infectious disease experts highlight four groups at the highest risk of severe disease who should make the updated vaccine a priority:

• Adults 65 and older

• People who are severely immunocompromised

• Pregnant people

• Young children, especially those 6 to 23 months old

More than 1.2 million Americans have died from COVID-19 since the pandemic began, according to the CDC. Talk with your healthcare provider about whether the updated vaccine is right for you and when to get it.

This post is for general information and is not medical advice.

Source: Adapted from reporting by Youri Benadjaoud, Mary Kekatos and Ava Tsapatsaris for ABC News, "What you need to know about updated COVID vaccines following FDA approval," August 28, 2026.