Moderna's Updated COVID-19 Shot Provides Promising Defense Against Eris Variant

Moderna's updated COVID-19 vaccine has shown a "significant boost" in antibodies against the Eris strain, a subvariant of the omicron variant. The vaccine, which is set to be deployed in the fall, was initially designed to target the XBB.1.5 omicron subvariant but has been updated to address the evolving variants. Preliminary clinical trial data indicate that the updated vaccine effectively targets the expected circulating variants of COVID-19 during the upcoming vaccination season. The Eris strain currently accounts for 17.3% of cases in the US, while another subvariant, FL.1.5.1, is dominant in the Northeast region. The World Health Organization has classified Eris as a "variant of interest" but considers the public health risk associated with it to be low.