FDA authorizes Omicron boosters

The Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday authorized updated versions of COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna that are tailored to be more effective against the Omicron variant.

Why it matters: The updated shots, retooled to target the BA.5 strain that accounts for most cases in the U.S. today, are expected to become available after Labor Day.

Between the lines: The reformulated mRNA shots got regulators' blessing without first being tested in humans.

They are also the first to move ahead without an FDA advisory committee weighing in, marking a shift that more closely mirrors...