Moderna said on Wednesday that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted emergency use authorization for its Omicron-specific COVID-19 booster shot.

The jab is the first reformulated injection to get regulatory approval in the United States. It has been authorized for all individuals above the age of 18. Pfizer, Moderna’s primary opponent in the deployment of COVID-19 injections, is anticipated to get an approval shortly.

The new vaccinations will increase antibody protection against the Omicron variety, which comprises all of the virus’s most virulent strains so far. Earlier versions of the shot were targeted to the initial Wuhan Covid strain, but the virus has since evolved to resist its protection.

Officials hoped to distribute the vaccines by September in anticipation of a potential increase in cases as the weather cools.

“The FDA’s approval of our enhanced bivalent booster, mRNA-1273.222, gives Americans greater protection against Omicron variants,” stated Moderna CEO Stéphane Bancel in a statement.

Receiving a booster that specifically targets the Omicron BA.4/.5 variation, which is currently the most prevalent strain of SARS-CoV-2, is a critical public health step that people may take to protect themselves, particularly as we approach the season of indoor gatherings.