Yes, there is a new COVID-19 vaccine for the current season. As with recent years, manufacturers have updated the formula to match the virus strains circulating most widely, and regulators in the United States and Europe have approved these refreshed shots. The 2025–2026 vaccines target the JN.1 lineage of SARS-CoV-2, a shift from the KP.2-based formula used in the prior season, and early effectiveness data puts protection against hospitalization in the range of 50–55 percent for most adults.
What Changed in This Year’s Formula
SARS-CoV-2 keeps drifting, and vaccines need periodic updates to keep pace. For the 2025–2026 respiratory season, the FDA and EMA directed manufacturers to produce vaccines matched to the JN.1 lineage. Several JN.1 sub-variants have been circulating, including KP.2, KP.3.1.1, LP.8.1, and XEC, but immunogenicity data show that vaccines targeting JN.1 or its close relatives generate antibodies that cross-react well against the whole cluster. A study comparing JN.1 and KP.2 mRNA vaccines found that the two produced similar neutralizing-antibody profiles, and the authors concluded that minor strain updates within the same antigenic cluster offer only modest additional benefit when most people already carry hybrid immunity from prior infections and vaccinations.1PubMed Central. Immunogenicity of JN.1 and KP.2 COVID-19 mRNA vaccines against emerging SARS-CoV-2 variants Separate immunogenicity work on both Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna platforms confirmed that JN.1- or KP.2-adapted formulas support the strain selection for this season’s rollout.2Nature Communications. Immunologic and biophysical features of the BNT162b2 JN.1 and KP.2 adapted COVID-19 vaccines
The practical takeaway is that the virus hasn’t undergone a dramatic antigenic shift like the jump to Omicron in late 2021. The variants floating around right now are closely related enough that a single updated formula covers them reasonably well. Previous XBB.1.5-era boosters had already lost ground against JN.1 sub-lineages, which is what triggered the update in the first place.3Vaccine. mRNA-1273 vaccines adapted to JN.1 or KP.2 elicit cross-neutralizing responses against the JN.1 sublineages of SARS-CoV-2 in mice
Which Vaccines Are Available
Three COVID-19 vaccines are available in the U.S. this season: the mRNA shots from Pfizer-BioNTech (Comirnaty) and Moderna (Spikevax), and the protein-based Novavax vaccine (Nuvaxovid). All three have been reformulated to target JN.1.
Novavax works differently from the mRNA options. Instead of delivering genetic instructions for your cells to build the spike protein, it contains lab-grown spike-protein nanoparticles combined with an adjuvant called Matrix-M that helps amplify the immune response.4PubMed. Safety, efficacy, and immunogenicity of the NVX-CoV2373 vaccine It remains the only non-mRNA COVID-19 vaccine on the U.S. market and is approved for the 2025–2026 season. According to Novavax, preclinical and clinical data confirm that the JN.1-based formula induces immunity against a range of currently circulating strains, including NB.1.8.1, LP.8.1, XFG, XFC, LF.7, and XEC.5Novavax. Novavax’s Nuvaxovid™ 2025-2026 Formula COVID-19 Vaccine Approved in the U.S.
For most healthy adults and older children, the choice between platforms comes down to personal preference and availability. Some people who experienced strong side effects from mRNA vaccines have opted for the protein-based shot, though head-to-head comparisons of real-world effectiveness this season are still limited. For people with weakened immune systems, a targeted literature review found Novavax to be immunogenic and well-tolerated across diverse immunocompromised populations, although the efficacy evidence in that group remains thin and needs larger studies.6PubMed. Efficacy, immunogenicity, and safety of the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine in immunocompromised patients: A targeted literature review
How Well the Updated Vaccines Work
Vaccine effectiveness against COVID-related hospitalization this season sits at roughly 55 percent for immunocompetent adults 18 and older, based on interim test-negative design studies.7JAMA Network Open. Interim Estimated Effectiveness of 2025-2026 COVID-19 Vaccines in Adults Using a Test-Negative Design That same analysis estimated about 50 percent effectiveness against COVID-related emergency department and urgent care visits across all adults. For older adults aged 65 and up, effectiveness against hospitalization during the 2025–2026 season was estimated at around 53 percent.8JAMA. COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness and Safety for the 2026-2027 Respiratory Season
Those numbers might sound modest compared to the 90-plus percent efficacy reported in the original clinical trials, but the comparison is misleading. The original trials measured protection in a population with zero prior exposure to the virus. Today, virtually everyone has some baseline immunity from past infections, vaccinations, or both. What the updated vaccines are doing is topping off that existing protection, and shaving roughly half the remaining hospitalization risk is clinically meaningful, especially for older and medically vulnerable people who face the highest absolute risk of severe outcomes.
How Quickly Protection Fades
One of the frustrating realities of COVID vaccines is that their protection drops off noticeably within months. A study that attempted to separate the effects of antibody waning from viral evolution estimated that the relative risk of severe disease increases by about 9 percent per month after a booster dose due to antibody waning alone, with an additional roughly 2.4 percent per calendar month from the virus continuing to drift away from the vaccine strain.9Vaccine. Separating the effects of immune waning and viral evolution on COVID-19 vaccine effectiveness reveals improved effectiveness of updated vaccines That dual erosion helps explain why annual or even twice-yearly updates have been discussed.
There is a silver lining, though. A modeling study found that even after neutralizing antibody levels dropped to the lower detection limit of lab assays, vaccine effectiveness against severe outcomes and death remained above 75 percent.10PubMed Central. Comparative duration of neutralizing responses and protections of COVID-19 vaccination and correlates of protection In other words, your immune system retains deeper layers of defense, including memory T cells and B cells, that keep working even when antibody levels in the blood look low on a test. The practical upshot: updated vaccines clearly help prevent infection and mild illness in the months right after the shot, and they continue to provide substantial protection against the worst outcomes for a longer window.
Extra Doses for Older Adults and Immunocompromised People
Not everyone follows the same one-dose-per-season schedule. In October 2024, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommended a second seasonal dose for all adults 65 and older and for anyone six months and older with moderate or severe immunocompromise, to be given at least six months after the first seasonal dose, with a minimum interval of two months.11PubMed Central. Use of Additional Doses of 2024–2025 COVID-19 Vaccine for Adults Aged ≥65 Years and Persons Aged ≥6 Months with Moderate or Severe Immunocompromise People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may receive three or more doses per season through shared clinical decision-making with their provider.
This matters because immunocompromised individuals, such as organ transplant recipients, people on certain biologics, or patients undergoing chemotherapy, often mount a weaker initial immune response to vaccination. Research in multiple sclerosis patients on immunosuppressive therapy, for example, has supported extended primary vaccination schedules for this group.12PubMed Central. Evaluation of the efficacy of the SARS-CoV-2 vaccine additional and booster doses in immunocompromised patients with multiple sclerosis: the COVACiMS study If you fall into one of these categories, your doctor can help determine how many doses make sense and when to space them.
Vaccination for Young Children
The dosing schedule for young children is more complex than for adults. Children aged six months through four years may need a multi-dose initial series rather than a single seasonal shot, depending on their vaccination history. Unvaccinated children in this age group are recommended to receive either two updated Moderna doses or three updated Pfizer-BioNTech doses. Children who already completed some or all of a prior primary series need fewer additional doses, but the specifics depend on the manufacturer and how many previous doses they received.13Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. Use of Updated COVID-19 Vaccines 2023–2024 Formula for Persons Aged ≥6 Months One important detail: all doses given to a child in this age group should come from the same manufacturer. For children five and older, the schedule simplifies to a single updated dose if they’ve been previously vaccinated, much like the adult recommendation.
Getting Your COVID Shot with Flu and RSV Vaccines
A common practical question is whether you can get the COVID vaccine at the same visit as a flu shot, an RSV shot, or both. The answer is generally yes. A VAERS-based analysis of co-administration of RSV, COVID-19, and influenza vaccines in older adults found the overall safety profile to be favorable, with most adverse events being the expected, self-limiting kind: sore arms, fatigue, and mild systemic symptoms.14Frontiers in Pharmacology. Real-world feasibility of co-administration of RSV, COVID-19, and influenza vaccines in older adults: a VAERS-based analysis The study flagged potential signals of rare neurological and cardiovascular events, but stressed these were hypothesis-generating signals from a passive reporting system, not confirmed causal links. For most people, the convenience of a single pharmacy visit outweighs the slightly increased chance of feeling run-down for a day or two.
Common Side Effects
The side-effect profile of mRNA COVID vaccines has been studied extensively over hundreds of millions of doses. During the first six months of the U.S. vaccination program, when roughly 299 million mRNA doses were administered, the most common self-reported reactions in the days after vaccination were injection-site pain (reported by about two-thirds of recipients), fatigue (about a third after dose one, rising to over half after dose two), and headache (about a quarter after dose one, approaching half after dose two).15The Lancet Infectious Diseases. Safety of mRNA vaccines administered during the initial 6 months of the US COVID-19 vaccination programme: an observational study of reports to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System and v-safe Side effects were consistently more common after the second dose than the first. Among VAERS reports, the vast majority (about 92 percent) were classified as non-serious.
Updated seasonal doses tend to follow the same general pattern, though anecdotally many people report milder reactions with successive boosters compared to their original two-dose series. If you had a rough time with a previous mRNA shot, the protein-based Novavax option may be worth discussing with your provider, as its side-effect profile is somewhat different.
Why So Many People Skip the Updated Shots
Despite availability, uptake of updated COVID vaccines has been considerably lower than early pandemic doses. A study examining reasons for low booster uptake found that the most commonly cited reason was having had a prior COVID infection, reported by about 40 percent of unvaccinated respondents. Concern about side effects came next at about 32 percent, followed by a belief that boosters wouldn’t add meaningful protection beyond previous doses (about 29 percent) and concerns about safety (about 23 percent).16PubMed. Understanding low COVID-19 booster uptake among US adults
The “I already had COVID” reasoning deserves some scrutiny. Prior infection does provide real immune protection, but as the waning data discussed earlier shows, all immunity erodes over time, and the virus keeps evolving. An updated vaccine can extend and broaden that protection. The belief that boosters are unnecessary after prior vaccination reflects a similar misunderstanding: each update is calibrated to newer strains that have partially escaped the immunity built by earlier formulas. This is the same logic behind annual flu shots, where nobody expects last year’s formula to cover this year’s dominant strain.
Cost has also become a factor. COVID vaccines in the U.S. transitioned away from a fully government-funded model, and research into the shift from free to cost-based vaccination suggests that financial barriers could reduce uptake, particularly among uninsured and underinsured populations. Making vaccines accessible through public health programs and insurance coverage remains important for maintaining vaccination rates across income levels.
The Move Toward Annual Updates
The FDA has been moving COVID-19 vaccine updates toward an annual cycle modeled on the flu vaccine process, where an expert panel reviews circulating strains and recommends a formula each year before the fall season. This approach simplifies the public health message: get one updated COVID shot each fall, just as you would a flu shot. The advisory process reviews surveillance data on which variants are dominant, evaluates whether the existing vaccine antigen still provides adequate cross-neutralization, and decides whether a strain change is needed. For the foreseeable future, this annual cadence looks likely to continue.
Combination Vaccines and Mucosal Approaches on the Horizon
Researchers are working on two broad categories of next-generation COVID vaccines that could reshape the landscape in coming years. The first is combination vaccines that bundle COVID and influenza protection into a single shot. Pfizer-BioNTech has been developing an mRNA-based combination vaccine that showed similar immune responses to the individual vaccines in early-phase trials, with a safety profile comparable to the standalone COVID shot.17JAMA. Combined COVID-19, Flu Vaccine Candidate Headed to Phase 3 Trials Work on combined vaccines more broadly continues across multiple platforms and manufacturers.18PubMed Central. Progress in combination vaccines and the co-administration of influenza virus and SARS-CoV-2 vaccines If these pan out, a single injection each fall could cover both respiratory threats, likely improving uptake by reducing the number of visits and needle sticks.
The second frontier is mucosal vaccines, delivered as nasal sprays or inhaled aerosols rather than injections. Current vaccines are excellent at generating systemic immunity in the bloodstream, which protects against severe disease. But they are less effective at building immunity right at the mucosal surfaces of the nose and lungs where the virus first lands, which is one reason vaccinated people can still get infected and transmit the virus. Mucosal vaccines are designed to trigger immune responses directly in the upper respiratory tract, potentially reducing infection and transmission at the source.19Vaccine. Mucosal COVID-19 vaccines in clinical development A phase 1 trial of an inhaled aerosol COVID vaccine delivered to the lungs of previously mRNA-vaccinated adults has shown encouraging early results in inducing lung mucosal immunity.20PubMed Central. Induction of lung mucosal immunity by a next-generation inhaled aerosol COVID-19 vaccine These approaches are still years from widespread availability but represent a genuinely different strategy from what we have now, one aimed not just at keeping you out of the hospital but at blocking the virus earlier in the chain of infection.