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Last week, advisers to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration unanimously voted in favor of recommending that COVID-19 vaccines for 2024-25 should target a strain within the lineage of the JN.1 variant that has been dominant this year.

The 16 advisors did not vote on whether to favor the original JN.1 variant or one of its successors like the currently dominant KP.2 strain.

However, during their discussion they overwhelmingly recommended using the older JN.1 variant, particularly as it is the only strain for which Novavax,one of the vaccine makers, said it would be able to target with its shot.

"We wanted to make sure that we gave people the option to potentially make a choice of a KP2 vaccine. We hear loud and clear from all of the members that they don't feel like that is necessary at this time," said Peter Marks, director of the FDA's Center for Biologics Evaluation & Research.

While the agency typically follows its advisers' recommendation when it makes its final decision, it is not obligated to do. Head over to Medscape to read the full story.