WASHINGTON, D.C. — A U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel recommended updating this fall’s Covid-19 vaccines to target the XFG variant. The variant, nicknamed “stratus,” has become a focus for public health officials as they prepare for potential increases in infections during the fall and winter months.

The FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee issued the recommendation to help vaccine manufacturers formulate and produce shots in time for the upcoming respiratory virus season. Health authorities typically update Covid vaccines annually based on which variants are circulating and expected to dominate in the coming months.

The XFG variant is one of several Omicron sublineages that have shown increased transmissibility compared to earlier strains. Public health agencies are monitoring its spread in multiple countries, including the United States, where it has been detected in wastewater surveillance systems.

The advisory panel’s meeting marked the FDA’s first since the resignation of Commissioner Marty Makary. According to agency statements, the timing of the meeting was not influenced by Makary’s departure, as it had been scheduled prior to his resignation. The recommendation now moves to the FDA for final determination before vaccine production proceeds.