evidence: Updated COVID-19 vaccines are being rolled out in the U.S., aimed at targeting the latest, prevalent variants of the disease. [...] The 2023-2024 vaccines, as the FDA and CDC have referred to them, come one year after the rollout of the vaccine makers’ bivalent booster vaccines, the first version of COVID-19 vaccines updated to target circulating variants. With the latest FDA action, the bivalent boosters are no longer FDA-authorized and won’t be available. [...] Dr. Beth P. Bell, a clinical professor at the University of Washington School of Public Health, agreed, saying "there’s all kinds of robust information" on the benefits and safety profile of COVID-19 vaccines — "granted, not exactly with this vaccine," but the 2023-2024 version is "a very, very similar vaccine."