CDC recommends that all people age 6 months or older should be vaccinated with a 2024–2025 Formula COVID-19 vaccine, as authorized or approved by FDA. There are three options: Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech mRNA vaccine (both FDA-authorized beginning at age 6 months and FDA-licensed for age 12 years and older), or Novavax adjuvanted protein subunit vaccine (authorized for age 12 years or older). Most people age 5 years or older should receive a single dose of vaccine.
Certain people need, or have the option to receive, more than one 2024–2025 Formula COVID-19 vaccine dose:
- If administering Novavax to a previously unvaccinated person age 12 years or older, administer a recommended 2-dose primary series, with doses 3-8 weeks apart.
- Children younger than age 5 years are recommended to receive at least one 2024–2025 Formula mRNA vaccine dose. If not previously vaccinated, or incompletely vaccinated, they should complete a 2-dose (Moderna) or 3-dose (Pfizer-BioNTech) primary series, using the same brand for all doses. CDC recommends that children younger than age 5 years receive the same brand for all doses (also referred to as homologous doses), even after completing the primary series. If it is not feasible to administer the same brand for one of the following reasons, it is acceptable to use a different brand: the brand is unavailable at the clinic at the time of the vaccination visit; the previous brand is unknown; the child would not otherwise receive a recommended vaccine; or, the child cannot continue with the previous brand due to a contraindication.
- Individuals who are moderately or severely immunocompromised and who have not already completed a 3-dose primary series, should complete a 3-dose primary vaccination series with the current 2024–2025 formulation. Use the same brand for all doses of the primary series, unless the brand is unavailable at the time of the clinic visit, the patient would otherwise choose not to complete the series, or the patient has a contraindication to vaccination with the original product. If the primary series is already complete, then a single dose of any age-appropriate 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine should be administered at least 2 months after the most recent dose of COVID-19 vaccine. Additional doses may be given, spaced at least 2 months apart, as determined by these individuals with their clinical care teams.
At this time, adults age 65 years and older who are not moderately or severely immunocompromised are recommended to receive only 1 dose of any 2024–2025 Formula COVID-19 vaccine. These adults are not currently recommended to receive a second dose 6 months after the first dose. ACIP will consider recommendations for revaccination in the future.
Last reviewed:
August 31, 2024
For individuals with moderate to severe immunocompromise, CDC states that, beyond the primary series, additional doses of 2024–2025 Formula COVID-19 vaccine may be administered (with a minimum two-month interval) based on the clinical judgment of the individual’s healthcare provider and personal preference and circumstances.
The option to receive these additional doses is offered because vaccine effectiveness declines most rapidly in people with moderate to severe immunocompromise. Such people also have the highest risk of hospitalization with COVID-19 if infected. Although protection against severe disease is more durable than protection against milder illness, individuals in these groups may benefit from shorter intervals between doses.
Last reviewed:
August 31, 2024
Janssen (Johnson & Johnson) COVID-19 vaccine is no longer available for use in the United States. The last remaining doses expired May 7, 2023. People who received 1 or 2 Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine doses are recommended to receive one 2024–2025 Formula dose (Moderna, Pfizer-BioNTech, or Novavax).
Last reviewed:
August 31, 2024
Yes. Vaccination should be offered regardless of history of prior SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Viral testing to assess for current SARS-CoV-2 infection or serologic testing to assess for prior infection for the purposes of vaccine decision-making is not recommended. However, as with all vaccines, vaccination should be deferred until after recovery from moderate to severe illness. In addition, to minimize the risk of exposing others to SARS-CoV-2 virus, vaccination of a person diagnosed with COVID-19 generally should be deferred until the person does not pose a risk of infection to others.
Although not required, people who recently had SARS-CoV-2 infection may consider delaying a 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine dose by up to 3 months from symptom onset or positive test (if infection was asymptomatic). Among vaccine recipients at increased risk of post-vaccination myocarditis (such as males age 12 through 39 years), an increased interval may reduce the rare risk of myocarditis after vaccination. A recipient’s individual risks for severe disease and current COVID-19 conditions in the community should be taken into account when deciding whether to delay vaccination up to 3 months after infection.
Last reviewed:
August 31, 2024
CDC defines an “additional primary dose” as a subsequent dose of vaccine administered to people who are less likely to develop a protective immune response after initial vaccination because of moderate or severe immunocompromise. All previously unvaccinated people with moderate or severe immunocompromise are recommended to receive an initial 3-dose primary COVID-19 series.
CDC defines a “booster dose” as a subsequent dose of vaccine administered to enhance or restore protection which might have declined over time after primary series vaccination.
Last reviewed:
August 31, 2024
ACIP has not made a routine recommendation for COVID-19 vaccination of older adults every 6 months. Although vaccine effectiveness against hospitalization in this age group wanes significantly by 6 months after vaccination, the ACIP recommendation made in February 2024 for adults in this age group to receive an additional dose of the 2023–2024 Formula COVID-19 vaccine was based upon conditions at the time and the expectation that COVID-19 would continue to circulate through the summer of 2024. ACIP will evaluate data and make a decision concerning an additional dose during the 2024-25 respiratory virus season as the season progresses.
Last reviewed:
August 31, 2024
In general, CDC recommends waiting a minimum of 8 weeks (2 months) since the last 2023–2024 Formula COVID-19 vaccine to receive an age-appropriate 2024–2025 Formula COVID-19 vaccine.
Previously unvaccinated children age 6 months through 4 years are recommended to receive a 2-dose (Moderna) or 3-dose (Pfizer-BioNTech) primary series of COVID-19 vaccine. Previously unvaccinated moderately or severely immunocompromised people are recommended to receive a 3-dose primary series of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (either product) or a 2-dose primary series of Novavax COVID-19 vaccine. Any previously unvaccinated person who receives Novavax COVID-19 vaccine should receive a 2-dose primary series, 3-8 weeks apart. If a person in one of these categories initiated their primary series with a 2023–2024 formula vaccine, they are recommended to follow the age-appropriate recommended schedule for completion of the primary series with the 2024–2025 formula of the same brand.
Last reviewed:
August 31, 2024
