the staff of the Ridgewood blog
WASHINGTON, D.C. — The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved updated COVID-19 vaccines for fall, but with the tightest restrictions yet on who should receive them.
Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. announced the approval on Aug. 27, stating that emergency-use authorizations have ended and that updated vaccines from Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax are now approved for people considered at high risk of severe illness.
Who Can Get the Updated COVID-19 Vaccine?
According to the new federal guidelines:
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Adults over 65 are strongly recommended to receive the updated shots.
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People with underlying health conditions are also eligible.
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Healthy adults and children may still access the vaccines, but only after consulting with their doctors.
“This is not a removal of COVID-19 vaccines from the market,” HHS clarified in a Q&A document. Instead, the move shifts vaccines to the traditional approval pathway, ending the emergency-use phase that began in 2020.
Pfizer and Moderna Announce Approvals
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Pfizer said its new formula is available to all adults 65+ and anyone over 5 with a high-risk condition.
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Moderna confirmed that its updated Spikevax shot is approved for adults 65+ and anyone 6 months and older with underlying conditions.
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Moderna’s new mNEXSPIKE vaccine is authorized for ages 12+ with health risks and all adults 65+.
Backlash from Medical Groups
The decision has sparked strong criticism from leading health organizations, including the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).
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AAP President Dr. Susan J. Kressly called the restrictions “deeply troubling,” warning that parents who want their children vaccinated may lose access.
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The AAP has since issued its own vaccine schedule, recommending COVID-19 shots for all children 6 months to 23 months, and urging access for older children as well.
Growing Vaccine Controversy
The move comes amid broader controversy surrounding RFK Jr.’s vaccine policies.
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In May, Kennedy removed COVID-19 vaccines from the CDC’s recommended schedule for healthy children and pregnant women, a decision condemned by groups like the AMA and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.
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He also dismissed the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, replacing experts with critics who have ties to anti-vaccine advocacy.
What This Means for Patients
Experts warn that confusion over the new rules may create barriers to access—especially for people whose insurance coverage follows federal recommendations.
Epidemiologist Jennifer Nuzzo of Brown University said:
“My biggest concern is that the confusion these changes are fueling will, in practice, make it harder for people to get vaccines.”
For now, the updated shots remain available nationwide, but with recommendations focused on seniors and those with medical risks. Patients outside those groups must discuss options with their doctors.
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New vaccine, as useless as the old one!
Don’t take it and STFU 😉
Never
Deeply not