HHS partners with U.S. men's soccer team to promote updated COVID vaccines

The Department of Health and Human Services is partnering with the U.S. national men's soccer team to promote vaccinations with the updated COVID-19 shot, which are currently at a low.

Driving the news: The updated bivalent COVID shot is available for people aged five and up. However, only around 12% of the U.S. population has received the new booster shot, compared to the 69% that have completed their primary series, per data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

State of play: USMNT defender Walker Zimmerman will encourage Americans to get an updated booster to protect them from "COVID's worst possible outcome," according to a promotional video first shared with Axios that will be posted on the USMNT's social media later Thursday.

What they're saying: "Our message is simple: Don’t wait. Get the updated COVID-19 vaccine this fall. It’s safe and effective," said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra in a statement.