Will the new COVID-19 vaccine protect against the latest variants?

Plus more health news | Email not displaying correctly? [View it in your browser.]( [Health Matters]( [Will the new COVID-19 vaccine work against the BA.2.86 variant?]( By Alice Park Senior Health Correspondent Just when most of us were hoping that COVID-19 was behind us, new infections have started to creep up again, along with hospitalizations. Part of that has to do with relaxed prevention measures—more people are going back to crowded workplaces, airports, and planes; fewer people are wearing masks; and almost no one adheres to social distancing guidelines any more (at least where I live in New York City). Part of it may also have to do with new variants that are pushing their way into those public environments. Scientists are watching for Omicron descendants EG.5 and BA.2.86, among others, and the big question for the fall and winter is whether the updated COVID-19 vaccine, expected in September, will protect against these new viruses. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration will soon decide which strain the updated vaccines will target, but the agency has already advised vaccine makers to start producing shots against the XBB.1.5 variant. Here’s what the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and vaccine makers report so far: - Moderna says that its updated vaccine produces a good amount of antibodies that can neutralize not just XBB, but also the EG.5 variant. Those findings are based on a study the company conducted with a small group of people. Pfizer and Novavax report that their new vaccines also neutralize the EG.5 virus, but in animal studies. - The World Health Organization has defined BA.2.86 as a “variant under monitoring,” since it contains more than three dozen new mutations. - The CDC expects that the updated vaccines manufacturers are preparing will also protect against severe disease and hospitalization if more people get infected with BA.2.86, but tests are ongoing. [READ THE REST]( Share This Story What Else to Read [Your Morning Podcast: Dr. Jean Twenge on the Impact of Smartphones]( [Read More »]( [What to Know About Bariatric Surgery for Type 2 Diabetes]( By Markham Heid Research indicates that surgery can put diabetes into remission, and it’s safe and cost-effective. [Read More »]( [How to Actually Stick to a Journaling Routine]( By Angela Haupt Journaling can make you healthier and happier, but some people struggle with consistency. [Read More »]( [This Is the Best Time of Day to Work Out, According to Science]( By Jamie Ducharme If you want to optimize your workouts to get the widest range of benefits, you might want to try exercising in the morning. (Originally published in 2019.) [Read More »]( [How Perfectionism Leads to Burnout—and What You Can Do About it]( By Jeffrey Kluger Burnout can affect anyone, but perfectionists—with their exceedingly high standards—are hit hardest. [Read More »]( AN EXPERT VOICE "Because our friendships are so closely connected with our physical health, and with our emotional well-being, we need to be intentional about who we're spending our time with. I encourage people to think about, 'How do I feel when I'm with this person? How do I feel after we've connected?'" —Miriam Kirmayer, a clinical psychologist who studies the science of friendship If you were forwarded this and want to sign up to receive it daily, [click here](. Today's newsletter was written by Alice Park and Angela Haupt, and edited by Angela. [Want more from TIME? Sign up for our other newsletters.]( [Subscribe to TIME]( TIME may receive compensation for some links to products and services in this email. Offers may be subject to change without notice. Connect with TIME via [Facebook]( | [Twitter]( | [Newsletters]( [UNSUBSCRIBE]( [PRIVACY POLICY]( [YOUR CALIFORNIA PRIVACY RIGHTS]( TIME Customer Service, P.O. Box 37508, Boone, IA 50037-0508 Questions? Contact health@time.com Copyright © 2023 TIME USA, LLC. All rights reserved.