Health authorities in the United States are preparing to launch new doses of COVID-19 vaccines, allowing enough time to receive them before the start of the respiratory illness season this fall.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the release of new vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer (in collaboration with BioNTech) yesterday, which target the KP.2 variant of the Omicron strain, according to the American "Al-Hurra" channel.

These doses will be available for individuals over 6 months of age, at a time when there is a continuous increase in hospitalizations due to COVID-19, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Doctors recommend that all eligible individuals receive the vaccine, especially seniors who have not received the latest updates.

Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a professor of medicine at the University of California in San Francisco, told the American "Wall Street Journal" that he has seen many people in the hospital who received multiple doses at the beginning of the pandemic but have missed any further doses "for a year or two."

Despite last year's recommendations that all individuals over 6 months receive the COVID-19 vaccine, the majority have not received the latest doses, as CDC data shows that only 22.5% of adults and 14.4% of children received the most recent doses by May.

Doctors advise getting the new vaccine in September or October to ensure maximum protection during the winter season.

The CDC recommends receiving the new vaccines by the end of October, which will be available at local clinics and pharmacies.

According to the recommendations, individuals who have recently received COVID-19 vaccine doses or have recently contracted the virus should wait about three months before receiving the updated vaccine.

People with weakened immune systems can receive additional doses throughout the year, while the CDC is still considering providing the same recommendation for individuals over 65 years old.

Dr. Kelly Moore, head of the "Immunize" organization, explained in a call with the American newspaper that "COVID still spreads year-round, and we aim to determine the optimal timing and appropriate doses."

Those interested in receiving both the flu and COVID-19 vaccines together can do so without any issues.

The new vaccines have been approved based on laboratory data showing their effectiveness against several strains of the virus, along with evidence from previous versions of the vaccines.

Novavax is also working on developing a new vaccine targeting the JN.1 strain, but it has not yet received FDA approval; however, the company states that the vaccine will provide protection against other variants as well.