A New Kind of Flu Shot Is Coming: What Adults 50 and Older Should Know

Flu shots have been made the same basic way for more than 70 years. That is starting to change.

On August 5, 2026, the FDA approved the first flu shot in the United States that uses mRNA. Here is what it means for you, in plain language.

What is this new flu shot?

It is called mFLUSIVA. It is made by Moderna. It is the first flu shot approved in the U.S. that uses mRNA — the same technology used in some COVID-19 shots.

What does “mRNA” mean?

Think of mRNA as a short set of instructions.

The shot gives your body a message. Your body reads it and builds a tiny, harmless piece that looks like part of the flu virus. Your immune system practices fighting that piece. Later, if the real flu shows up, your body already knows what to do.

The instructions break down quickly and leave your body. They do not change your DNA.

Who can get it?

Adults 50 and older.

The FDA gave full approval for adults ages 50 through 64. For adults 65 and older, it gave a faster kind of approval called accelerated approval. That means the shot can be used now, but the company still has to finish a larger study to confirm how well it protects this age group.

The shot is not approved for children or for adults under 50 right now.

Does it work better than a regular flu shot?

In a large study, yes.

About 41,000 adults age 50 and older took part. Half got the mRNA shot. Half got a standard flu shot. The mRNA shot was about 27% better at preventing flu that was confirmed by a lab test.

Put another way: about 2 out of every 100 people who got the mRNA shot came down with the flu. About 3 out of every 100 people who got the standard shot did.

One important note for adults 65 and older. In the U.S., many people your age get a high-dose flu shot. The study did not compare the new mRNA shot to the high-dose shot. So we cannot yet say which of those two is better. A much larger study is planned to help answer that question.

Why does it matter that mRNA shots are made faster?

Because the flu keeps changing.

A regular flu shot takes about 6 months to make. It is grown in chicken eggs. Because that takes so long, experts have to decide in late winter which flu strains to aim for in the fall. Sometimes a new strain shows up after that decision is made. When that happens, the shot is a poor match, and more people end up sick or in the hospital.

An mRNA shot takes about 6 weeks to make. That leaves more time to update the recipe if the flu changes.

What side effects should I expect?

People who got the mRNA shot were more likely to report:

• A sore arm where the shot was given
• Feeling tired
• Headache
• Sore muscles

Most of these were mild or moderate, and they went away on their own. They are similar to what many people felt after an mRNA COVID-19 shot.

When will it be available?

Moderna expects it to be ready for the 2026–2027 flu season. Supply and timing may be different from clinic to clinic.

Will my insurance cover it?

Most likely, but it is not certain yet. Health experts expect insurance plans to cover it for adults 50 and older.

The CDC advisory group that writes official vaccine guidance has not met about this shot yet. So national recommendations are still coming. If cost is a concern, call your insurance plan before your visit.

Should I wait for this shot instead of getting my usual one?

No. Please do not skip or delay your flu shot while you wait.

The best flu shot is the one you can get before flu season starts. If the mRNA shot is not available when you come in, the flu shot we offer still protects you. Flu is hardest on people over 65 — that group accounts for most flu hospitalizations and deaths every year.

Source: Rubin R. “What to Know About the mRNA Flu Vaccine, Newly Approved by the FDA.” JAMA. Published online August 14, 2026. doi:10.1001/jama.2026.17069

Last updated: September 2026