Georgia’s public health department says the new COVID vaccine for 2025–26 isn’t available yet. Officials are waiting for federal health experts to give the final go-ahead later this month.

Here’s what you need to know:

  • No shots yet: Local health departments don’t have the updated vaccine in stock.
  • Old shots retired: The CDC has told providers to stop using last year’s vaccine and safely throw out any leftovers.
  • Next step: A national vaccine advisory group meets September 18 and 19 to decide who should get the updated shot and how it should be used.

Georgia health leaders say they’ll share updates once those decisions are made.

The FDA has already cleared the new vaccines, which are designed to better protect against the strains of the virus spreading right now. However, the FDA has recommended the vaccines only be given to those 65 and over and medically fragile people.

According to the CDC, 47,000 people died of COVID last year.

Bottom line: If you’re planning your fall COVID shot, hang tight. Guidance is coming soon.

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Publisher at  – btclark@thegeorgiasun.com – Web

B.T. Clark is the Publisher of The Georgia Sun and author of Principles Are Like Pants… You Ought to Have Some. Over two decades in journalism, he has served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc., earning multiple awards along the way. His work has appeared in newspapers across the state, including The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal.