Aug. 18, 2023 – Preliminary data shows the newly formulated COVID-19 booster from Moderna is effective against the widely circulating Eris subvariant, and another version of the virus that’s on the rise that some people are calling “Fornax.”
Moderna made the announcement in a news release dated Thursday. The company did not provide further details about the new formulation’s effectiveness.
Eris, which is officially called EG.5, now accounts for 21% of new COVID cases, and Fornax, which officially is FL.1.5.1, accounts for 13% of all cases, the CDC advised in its newly updated variant counts on Friday.
Pfizer’s updated booster showed effectiveness against the latest subvariants in a study in mice, Reuters reported.
The CDC expects new versions of the shots to be available in September, but first both the CDC and the FDA need to sign off on the latest formulations.
While still remaining at historically low levels, hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 have been tracking a steady late-summer increase. Hospitalizations are up 14% in the past week, and deaths are up 8%, the CDC says.