EYECARE: Coronavirus BRIEFING: Crisis Response Tactics New COVID-19 Vaccines Targeting KP.2 Variant Available By Staff Tuesday, September 10, 2024 8:02 AM New COVID-19 vaccines formulated for better protection against the currently circulating variants have been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration.The COVID vaccines available this fall have been updated to better match the currently circulating COVID strains, said William Schaffner, MD, professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee, in an interview."The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines—both mRNA vaccines—target the KP.2 variant, while the Novavax vaccine targets the JN.1 variant, which is a predecessor to KP.2," said Schaffner, who also serves as a spokesperson for the National Foundation for Infectious Diseases. "The Novavax vaccine is a protein adjuvant vaccine made in a more traditional fashion and may appeal to those who remain hesitant about receiving an mRNA vaccine," he explained. However, all three vaccines are designed to protect against severe COVID illness and reduce the likelihood of hospitalization, he said. Head over to Medscape to read the full story.