FDA proposes annual COVID-19 vaccine

Americans may be offered a single dose of a COVID-19 vaccine each fall, much as they are given flu shots, the Food and Drug Administration announced Monday.

To simplify the makeup and timing of the shots, the agency also is proposing to retire the original vaccines and to offer only bivalent doses for primary and booster shots, according to briefing documents published Monday.

The proposal took some scientists by surprise, including a few of the FDA’s own advisers. They are scheduled to meet Thursday to discuss the country’s vaccine strategy, including which doses should be offered and on what schedule.