As COVID cases increase, the FDA clears an updated vaccine

As summer transitions to fall, COVID-19 continues to circulate across the U.S. At the same time, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have authorized four updated COVID-19 vaccines designed to target currently circulating strains of the virus, giving eligible Americans another tool to help protect against severe illness.

According to the CDC, COVID-19 transmission has been increasing in several parts of the country, with California among the states seeing continued activity. While COVID is no longer causing the widespread hospitalizations experienced during the pandemic, health experts say the virus remains a risk, especially for older adults and people with underlying medical conditions.

However, Dr. Ahmed Salem, a pulmonologist with Sharp Community Medical Group and affiliated with Sharp Memorial Hospital, says the situation in San Diego County is less concerning than in years past, with local activity level deemed moderate.

"Although we have seen some indications of COVID increase, there is no evidence that there's a COVID surge at this time," he says. “However, the weekly case rate does continue to slowly ramp up as we head toward the fall.”

New COVID vaccine approved

While experts may not call the local increase a “surge,” they recommend staying up-to-date on COVID vaccination. The FDA recently authorized the updated 2026-27 COVID-19 vaccines formulated to target strains, such as the JN.1-lineage XFG variant, expected to circulate during the upcoming respiratory virus season.

The vaccines are approved for:

• Adults age 65 and older

• Children and adults with underlying health conditions that place them at higher risk of severe COVID illness

• People who are immunocompromised or have certain chronic medical conditions, as recommended by their health care provider

"Most of the patients who became severely ill during the pandemic were people who had comorbidities, morbid obesity, diabetes, compromised immune systems or were elderly," he says. "If you are in that category, we highly recommend you get the COVID vaccine."

What national health organizations say about the vaccine

National organizations, including the American Medical Association, Academy of Pediatrics, and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, continue to support vaccination against COVID for all adults, all children ages 6 to 23 months, children ages 2 to 18 in certain risk groups or if desired, and pregnant women or women planning to become pregnant.

Vaccination, the groups report, are a key strategy for reducing severe illness and protecting vulnerable populations. Most experts recommend receiving both the flu vaccine and COVID vaccine in October, allowing protection to build before the peak respiratory virus season.

Like previous versions, the updated vaccine is intended primarily to reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death rather than completely prevent infection. The effectiveness of each year's vaccine depends in part on how closely the formula matches the strains that ultimately circulate.

"If we guess right, then the vaccine effectiveness is going to be higher," Dr. Salem says. “If we don't, it will be lower. It's an educated guess."

COVID vaccines continue to undergo rigorous safety monitoring by the FDA and CDC, experts say, and serious side effects remain rare.

How to get a vaccine

Talk with your doctor about whether an updated COVID-19 vaccine is right for you and your loved ones. Locally, you can find and schedule a COVID-19 vaccine using the California Department of Public Health My Turn Portal. If you do not have a health care provider, contact 211.

Under California law and guidance from the California Department of Public Health, recommended vaccines are usually covered at no cost through most insurance plans. However, coverage can vary based on individual insurance policies. People without insurance may have access through public health programs, community clinics or other programs.

The updated COVID vaccines, Dr. Salem advises, remain one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of severe illness and hospitalization during the upcoming respiratory virus season.

"We want to protect not only ourselves but also the vulnerable people in our families,” he says. “We know who they are, and we want to be extra careful with those people."

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