Important update: Healthcare facilities

CDC has updated select ways to operate healthcare systems effectively in response to COVID-19 vaccination. Learn more

Find the latest information:
Recommendations for Fully Vaccinated People
COVID-19 Homepage

UPDATE

Given new evidence on the B.1.617.2 (Delta) variant, CDC has updated the guidance for fully vaccinated people. CDC recommends universal indoor masking for all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to K-12 schools, regardless of vaccination status. Children should return to full-time in-person learning in the fall with layered prevention strategies in place.

UPDATE

The White House announced that vaccines will be required for international travelers coming into the United States, with an effective date of November 8, 2021. For purposes of entry into the United States, vaccines accepted will include FDA approved or authorized and WHO Emergency Use Listing vaccines. More information is available here.

COVID-19 Vaccines for People Who Are Moderately or Severely Immunocompromised

Updated Oct. 18, 2023

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What You Need to Know

CDC recommends the 2023–2024 updated COVID-19 vaccines: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna or Novavax to protect against serious illness from COVID-19.
Everyone aged 6 months and older who is moderately or severely immunocompromised needs at least 1 dose of a 2023-2024 updated COVID-19 vaccine. Depending on the number of doses you’ve previously received, you may need more than 1 dose of updated vaccine:
- If you have not gotten any COVID-19 vaccines (not vaccinated), you should get 2-3 doses of updated COVID-19 vaccine.
- If you got 1 previous Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine you should get 1-2 doses of updated COVID-19 vaccine.
- If you got 2 or more previous COVID-19 vaccines, you should get 1 updated COVID-19 vaccine.
Talk to your healthcare provider about getting additional doses of updated COVID-19 vaccine.

Recommendations For People Aged 6 Months and Older

People Who Have Not Had Any Previous COVID-19 Vaccines (Not vaccinated)

People aged 6 months and older who are moderately or severely immunocompromised and not vaccinated should get 2 or 3 doses of the same brand of updated COVID-19 vaccine. They also may be able to get additional doses. None of the recommended updated COVID-19 vaccines is preferred over another.

People Aged 6 Months and Older

1st Dose

Pfizer-BioNTech

UPDATED VACCINE

2nd Dose

Pfizer-BioNTech

UPDATED VACCINE

3 weeks after 1st dose

3rd Dose

Pfizer-BioNTech

UPDATED VACCINE

At least 8 weeks after 2nd dose for children aged 6 months to 4 years. At least 4 weeks for people of all other ages.

Note: People who are immunocompromised may receive Moderna vaccines after the first or second Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in some situations.

Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine Overview

People Aged 6 Months and Older

1st Dose

Moderna

UPDATED VACCINE

2nd Dose

Moderna

UPDATED VACCINE

4 weeks after 1st dose

3rd Dose

Moderna

UPDATED VACCINE

At least 4 weeks after 2nd dose

Note: People who are immunocompromised may receive Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines after the first or second Moderna vaccine in some situations.

Moderna Vaccine Overview

People Aged 12 Years and Older

1st Dose

Novavax

UPDATED VACCINE

2nd Dose

Novavax

UPDATED VACCINE

3 weeks after 1^st dose

Novavax Vaccine Overview

To find COVID-19 vaccine locations near you: Search vaccines.gov, text your ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233.

People Who Got Previous COVID-19 Vaccines

People aged 6 months and older who are moderately or severely immunocompromised and got COVID-19 vaccines before September 12, 2023, should get 1 or 2 doses of updated COVID-19 vaccine, depending on your age and the number of doses you got previously.

Pfizer-BioNTech

People Aged 6 Months – 11 years

2nd Dose

Pfizer-BioNTech

UPDATED VACCINE

3 weeks after 1^st dose

3rd Dose

Pfizer-BioNTech

UPDATED VACCINE

At least 8 weeks after 2^nd dose for children aged 6 months to 4 years.
At least 4 weeks for people of all other ages.

Note: People who are immunocompromised may receive Moderna vaccines after the first or second Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in some situations.

1 Dose

Pfizer-BioNTech

UPDATED VACCINE

At least 8 weeks after last dose for children aged 6 months to 4 years.
At least 4 weeks for people of all other ages.

1 Dose

Pfizer-BioNTech

UPDATED VACCINE

At least 8 weeks after last dose
(Children aged 5 years –11 years can get Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna.)

Pfizer-BioNTech

People Aged 12 years and Older

2nd Dose

Pfizer-BioNTech

UPDATED VACCINE

3 weeks after last dose

3rd Dose

Pfizer-BioNTech

UPDATED VACCINE

At least 4 weeks after last dose

Note: People who are immunocompromised may receive Moderna vaccines after the first or second Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine in some situations.

3rd Dose

Pfizer-BioNTech

UPDATED VACCINE

At least 4 weeks after last dose

1 Dose

Pfizer-BioNTech
Moderna
or Novavax

UPDATED VACCINE

At least 8 weeks after last dose

Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine Overview

Moderna

People Aged 6 Months – 11 years

2nd Dose

Moderna

UPDATED VACCINE

4 weeks after 1^st dose

3rd Dose

Moderna

UPDATED VACCINE

At least 4 weeks after 2^nd dose

Note: People who are immunocompromised may receive Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines after the first or second Moderna vaccine in some situations.

1 Dose

Moderna

UPDATED VACCINE

At least 4 weeks after last dose

1 Dose

Moderna

UPDATED VACCINE

At least 8 weeks after last dose
(Children aged 5 years – 11 years can get Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech.)

Moderna

People Aged 12 Years and Older

2nd Dose

Moderna

UPDATED VACCINE

4 weeks after last dose

3rd Dose

Moderna

UPDATED VACCINE

At least 4 weeks after last dose

Note: People who are immunocompromised may receive Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines after the first or second Moderna vaccine in some situations.

3rd Dose

Moderna

UPDATED VACCINE

At least 4 weeks after last dose

1 Dose

Pfizer-BioNTech
Moderna
or Novavax

UPDATED VACCINE

At least 8 weeks after last dose

Moderna Vaccine Overview

Novavax

People Aged 12 Years and Older

1 Dose

Pfizer-BioNTech
Moderna
or Novavax

UPDATED VACCINE

At least 8 weeks after last dose

Novavax Vaccine Overview

Johnson and Johnson’s Janssen

People Aged 18 Years and Older

1 Dose

Pfizer-BioNTech
Moderna
or Novavax

UPDATED VACCINE

At least 8 weeks after last dose

J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine is no longer available for use in the United States as of May 6, 2023.

J&J/Janssen Vaccine Overview

People Who May Get an Additional Updated COVID-19 Vaccine

People aged 6 months and older who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may get additional updated COVID-19 vaccine doses 2 or more months after the last recommended COVID-19 vaccine. Talk to your healthcare provider for more information.

COVID-19 Vaccines: 2023-2024 Updated, Bivalent, and Original

2023–2024 updated COVID-19 vaccines

As of October 3, 2023, the 2023-2024 updated Novavax vaccine was recommended by CDC for use in the United States.

As of September 12, 2023, the 2023–2024 updated Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines were recommended by CDC for use in the United States.

The 2023–2024 updated COVID-19 vaccines more closely target the XBB lineage of the Omicron variant. We anticipate the updated vaccines will be better at fighting currently circulating variants.

2022–2023 Bivalent vaccines

As of September 11, 2023, the bivalent Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are no longer available for use in the United States.

The 2022–2023 bivalent vaccines were designed to protect against both the original virus that causes COVID-19 and the Omicron variants BA.4 and BA.5. Two COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, had developed bivalent COVID-19 vaccines.

Original vaccines

As of April 18, 2023, the original Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are no longer available for use in the United States.

As of May 6, 2023, J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine is no longer available for use in the United States.

Previous COVID-19 vaccines were called “original” because they were designed to protect against the original virus that causes COVID-19.

Who Is Moderately or Severely Immunocompromised?

Some people are immunocompromised (have a weakened immune system) due to a medical condition or because they received medications or treatments that suppress the immune system. You can self-attest to your moderately or severely immunocompromised status, which means you do not need any documentation of your status to receive COVID-19 vaccines you might be eligible to receive.

Getting Vaccines If You Recently Had or Currently Have COVID-19

If you recently had COVID-19, you still need to stay up to date with your vaccines, but you may consider delaying your vaccine by 3 months.

Reinfection is less likely in the weeks to months after infection. However, certain factors could be reasons to get a vaccine sooner rather than later, such as:

personal risk of severe disease,
risk of disease in a loved one or close contact,
local COVID-19 hospital admission level,
and the most common COVID-19 variant currently causing illness.

People Who Were Vaccinated Outside of the United States

Learn more about the recommendations for people vaccinated outside of the United States.

For Healthcare and Public Health Professionals

Use of COVID-19 Vaccines Currently Authorized or Approved in the United States