We may need to get a COVID-19 vaccine every year, the same way we do with the flu shot.
FDA officials wrote in a paper published in JAMA this week that SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19, will likely “circulate globally for the foreseeable future.” Therefore, an “annual consideration for vaccine composition updates” will likely be necessary.
In June, the FDA is expected to make a decision about whether the COVID-19 vaccine should be changed for the fall and winter.
The agency is also expected to make additional decisions about who should be eligible for additional Covid vaccines in the fall.
During this time, the FDA could also determine whether an annual shot is needed.