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.

UPDATE

Travel requirements to enter the United States are changing, starting November 8, 2021. More information is available here.

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

Updated Sept. 12, 2023

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COVID-19 vaccine recommendations have been updated as of September 12. The content on this page is no longer current and will be updated to align with the new recommendations. Learn more.

What You Need to Know

If you are moderately or severely immunocompromised (have a weakened immune system), you are at increased risk of severe COVID-19 illness and death. Additionally, your immune response to COVID-19 vaccination may not be as strong as in people who are not immunocompromised.
People who are aged 6 months and older and are moderately or severely immunocompromised may get 1 or more additional updated COVID-19 vaccines:
- If you have not gotten any COVID-19 vaccines (unvaccinated) and then get 3 updated COVID-19 vaccines, you may get 1 or more additional updated COVID-19 vaccine.
- If you only got original COVID-19 vaccines and then get 1-2 updated COVID-19 vaccines, you may get 1 or more additional updated COVID-19 vaccines.
- If you got a COVID-19 updated vaccine when you followed a previous COVID-19 vaccine recommendation, you may get 1 or more additional updated COVID-19 vaccines.

Recommendations For People Aged 6 Months and Older

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

People who are aged 6 months and older who are moderately or severely immunocompromised and unvaccinated should get 3 of the same doses of either updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines.

People Aged 6 Months and Older

1st Dose

Pfizer-BioNTech

UPDATED VACCINE

2nd Dose

Pfizer-BioNTech

UPDATED VACCINE

3 weeks after 1st dose
More details: Getting your 2nd dose

3rd Dose

Pfizer-BioNTech
UPDATED PRIMARY SERIES
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.

Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine Overview

People Aged 6 Months and Older

1st Dose

Moderna
PRIMARY SERIES

2nd Dose

Moderna

UPDATED VACCINE

4 weeks after 1st dose
More details: Getting your 2nd dose

3rd Dose

Moderna

UPDATED VACCINE

At least 4 weeks after 2nd dose

Moderna 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.

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People Who Got Only Original COVID-19 Vaccines

People who are aged 6 months and older who are moderately or severely immunocompromised should get 1 or 2 updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine(s), depending on your age and the vaccine product and the number of original COVID-19 vaccine doses already received.

More information:

The difference between original and updated COVID-19 vaccines
If child moves to an older age group between vaccine doses

Pfizer-BioNTech

If your child got:

They should get:

1 original vaccine

2 updated Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines.

1^st updated dose at least 3 weeks after original dose.
2^nd updated dose at least 8 weeks after 1^st updated dose.

2 original vaccines

1 updated Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at least 8 weeks after the last original vaccine.

3 original vaccines

1 updated Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at least 8 weeks after the last original vaccine.

If your child got:

They should get:

1 original vaccine

2 updated Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines.

1^st updated dose at least 3 weeks after original dose.
2^nd updated dose at least 4 weeks after 1^st updated dose.

2 original vaccines

1 updated Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at least 4 weeks after the last original vaccine.

3 original vaccines

1 updated Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at least 8 weeks after the last original vaccine.

If you or your child got:

You or your child should get:

1 original vaccine

2 updated Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines.

1^st updated dose at least 3 weeks after original dose.
2^nd updated dose at least 4 weeks after 1^st updated dose.

More details: Getting your 2nd dose

2 original vaccines

1 updated Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine at least 4 weeks after the last original vaccine.

3 original vaccines

1 updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine at least 8 weeks after the last original vaccine.

Pfizer-BioNTech Vaccine Overview

Moderna

If your child got:

They should get:

1 original vaccine

2 updated Moderna vaccines

1^st updated dose at least 4 weeks after original dose.
2^nd updated dose at least 4 weeks after 1^st updated dose.

2 original vaccines

1 updated Moderna vaccine at least 4 weeks after the last original vaccine.

3 original vaccines

1 updated Moderna vaccine at least 8 weeks after the last original vaccine.

If you or your child got:

You or your child should get:

1 original vaccine

2 updated Moderna vaccines

1^st updated dose at least 4 weeks after original dose.
2^nd updated dose at least 4 weeks after 1^st updated dose.
More details: Getting your 2nd dose

2 original vaccines

1 updated Moderna vaccine at least 4 weeks after the last original vaccine.

3 original vaccines

1 updated Moderna vaccine at least 8 weeks after the last original vaccine.

Moderna Vaccine Overview

Novavax and Johnson and Johnson’s Janssen

People Aged 12 Years and Older Who Got Novavax

If you or your child got:

You or your child should get:

1 vaccine

1 updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine at least 8 weeks after the last original vaccine.
More details: Getting your 2nd dose
More information: Novavax

2 vaccines

1 updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine at least 8 weeks after the last original vaccine.
More details: Getting your 2nd dose
More information: Novavax

More information: Getting Novavax if you can’t get Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna

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

People Aged 18 Years and Older Who Got J&J/Janssen

If you got:

You should get:

1 vaccine

1 updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine at least 4 weeks after the last dose.

1 vaccine and 1 J&J/Janssen booster

1 updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine at least 4 weeks after the last dose.

2 vaccines

1 updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine at least 4 weeks after the last dose.

2 vaccines and 1 J&J/Janssen booster

1 updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna vaccine at least 4 weeks after the last dose.

J&J/Janssen Vaccine Overview

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People Who May Get an Additional Updated COVID-19 Vaccine

People who are aged 6 months and older who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may get 1 additional updated COVID-19 vaccine dose 2 or more months after the last recommended updated COVID-19 vaccine. The additional dose(s) help your immune system to better protect you against COVID-19 infection. Talk to your healthcare provider about additional updated vaccine doses.

Who got their last recommended updated Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine at least 2 months ago may get an additional updated Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.
Who got their last recommended updated Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at least 2 months ago may get an additional updated Moderna COVID-19 vaccine

Who got their last recommended updated COVID-19 vaccine at least 2 months ago may get an additional updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

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Recommendation For People Who May Want Another COVID-19 Vaccine Option

People 12 years and older who are unable or choose not to get an updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine can consider other options to get up to date:

People Aged 12 Years and Older

1st Dose

Novavax

PRIMARY SERIES

2nd Dose

Novavax

PRIMARY SERIES

3–8 weeks after 1st dose
More details: Getting your 2nd dose

3rd Dose

Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna

UPDATED VACCINE

At least 2 months after 2nd primary series dose

A Novavax booster is available in limited situations
More details: Novavax booster

Novavax Booster

You may get a Novavax booster if you are unable or unwilling to receive a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna updated COVID-19 booster and you meet the following requirements:

You are 18 years of age or older
You completed a COVID-19 vaccine primary series at least 6 months ago
You have not gotten any other COVID-19 booster dose

Novavax is not authorized as a booster dose at this time for teens aged 12–17 years.

Novavax Vaccine Overview

Footnotes

If a child moves to an older age group between vaccine doses, they should receive the vaccine product and dosage for the older age group.

However, children who turn from age 4 years to age 5 years during the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccination series must complete the series they started.
Additionally, children who turn from age 5 years to age 6 years during the Moderna vaccination series should receive 2 doses of updated Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

People aged 12–64 years:

People in this age group, especially males aged 12 through 39 years, may consider getting the 2nd dose 8 weeks after the 1st dose.
A longer time between the 1st and 2nd doses may increase how much protection the vaccines offer, and further minimize the rare risk of myocarditis and pericarditis.

People aged 65 years and older or people more likely to get very sick from COVID-19 should get the 2nd dose of COVID-19 vaccine 3 weeks after the 1st dose.

Updated (Bivalent) and Original (Monovalent) COVID-19 Vaccines

Updated vaccines, sometimes called “bivalent vaccines”

The updated vaccines are called “updated” or “bivalent” because they protect against both the original virus that causes COVID-19 and the Omicron variant BA.4 and BA.5. Two COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers, Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, have developed updated COVID-19 vaccines.

September 2, 2022, for people aged 12 years and older
October 12, 2022, for people aged 5–11 years
December 9, 2022, for children aged 6 months–5 years who completed the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine primary series and for children aged 6 months–4 years who got 2 doses of the original Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine
March 17, 2023, for children aged 6 months–4 years who completed their 3-dose primary series with the original Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine

Original vaccines, sometimes called “monovalent vaccines”

Previous COVID-19 vaccines are called “original” or “monovalent” because they were designed to protect against the original virus that causes COVID-19. Novavax is the only original (monovalent) COVID-19 vaccine authorized for use in the United States.

As of April 18, 2023, the original Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are no longer authorized for use by the FDA in the United States. Updated Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are being used for all age groups.
As of May 6, 2023, the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine expired and is no longer available for use in the United States.

Who Is Moderately or Severely Immunocompromised?

Some people are immunocompromised (have a weakened immune system) due to a medical condition or from receipt of immunosuppressive medications or treatments. Learn more about which medical conditions put you at increased risk of severe COVID-19 illness and death. 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 vaccine doses you might be eligible to receive.

Getting Vaccines If You 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 next vaccine dose by 3 months from:

when your symptoms started.
or, if you had no symptoms, when you first received a positive test.

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,
or 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

People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised and who received COVID-19 vaccines not available in the United States should either complete or restart the recommended COVID-19 vaccine series, including a booster, in the United States. For more information, talk to your healthcare provider, or see the COVID-19 Interim Clinical Considerations.

For Healthcare and Public Health Professionals

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