The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a new flu vaccine that uses mRNA technology, in a step forward for how the shots are made, according to Eyewitness News ABC7NY. The vaccine is set to be available for next year's flu season.
The new vaccine relies on the same mRNA technology that was used to develop the COVID-19 vaccine, extending that approach to a shot aimed at protecting against seasonal influenza. It is the first flu vaccine of its kind to win approval, according to the station.
The approval comes after an intense flu season last year. That season saw some of the highest rates of doctor's visits, hospitalizations, and deaths from the virus, a reminder of the toll the flu can still take even in a typical year.
While the flu circulates year-round, the United States typically sees the spread increase during the fall and winter months. Activity generally remains high up until the start of spring, according to the report on the new vaccine's approval.
Health officials recommend that everyone over the age of six months get vaccinated against the flu to protect themselves. Ideally, they say, people should get their shot before the end of October, ahead of the heart of the season.
Vaccination has been found to lower the risk of both hospitalization and death from the flu. That protection is a key reason officials continue to urge people to get their shots each year as a new season approaches and cases begin to climb.