Moderna’s mRNA-based flu and covid-19 vaccine could provide the best of both worlds—if it’s actually ever approved by the Food and Drug Administration.

The flu shot lowers the chance of contracting the flu, and of developing complications from it. When someone falls seriously ill, doctors can use antiviral medications to try to help patients recover.

The current flu season saw New York, excluding New York City, report a flu vaccination rate of about 27%, which contributed to the state suffering a record-high number of pediatric flu deaths, at 25.

Moderna said on Wednesday it has withdrawn an application seeking approval for its flu and COVID combination vaccine candidate to wait for efficacy data from a late-stage trial of its influenza ...