Moderna hopes to offer updated COVID-19 boosters in the fall that combine the original vaccine with protection against the latest variant. Now it’s reporting a hint that such an approach might work. Before omicron struck, Moderna began testing a shot combining the original vaccine with protection against an earlier variant named beta. The company says people given that test combo shot developed more antibodies capable of fighting newer variants — including omicron — than today’s regular booster. Studies are underway to see if a combination shot that adds omicron-specific protection works better.