Medicine

Moderna Developing Combined Influenza, COVID-19 Vaccine

The company aims to have a single annual booster shot that's available in some countries by fall 2023.

Moderna Developing Combined Influenza, COVID-19 Vaccine
Eugene Hoshiko / AP
SMS

Moderna's CEO said Monday that the vaccine maker is working on a single-shot booster for both COVID-19 and the flu.

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Stephane Bancel said that he hoped the U.S.-based company would have a combined vaccine booster ready to test in advanced research in the second quarter, saying a best-case scenario would be if the single shot covering both flu and COVID-19 would be ready for use next year.

He spoke at a panel of a virtual gathering hosted by the World Economic Forum during a session on the future of COVID-19.

"I don't think it would happen in every country, but we believe it's possible to happen in some countries next year," Bancel said.

Additional reporting by The Associated Press.