The new COVID-19 boosters updated for the fall of 2023 began to be available starting mid-September 2023. The first doses rolled out around September 13, 2023, with Moderna and Pfizer vaccines targeting the XBB variants now common in circulation. Novavax's updated booster was expected to follow later in September 2023. These boosters were recommended by the FDA and CDC for virtually all children and adults to reduce severe illness, hospitalization, and death risk from COVID-19. Availability became wider by late September or October 2023.
For 2023, the new boosters reflect a shift from bivalent vaccines to those targeting a single variant, specifically XBB.1.5, to broaden immunity scope. The vaccines offer protection against the currently dominant strains and are recommended for most people.
More recent updates in 2025 have introduced restrictions on who can receive updated COVID vaccines, prioritizing those aged 65 and older or with certain health conditions. This change happened after the 2023 boosters and shapes current vaccine access policies.
