Important update: Healthcare facilities
CDC has updated select ways to operate healthcare systems effectively in response to COVID-19 vaccination. Learn more
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.

Stay Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines

Stay Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines
Updated July 17, 2023
Español | Other Languages
Print
Related Pages

What You Need to Know

Recommendation for Everyone Aged 6 Years and Older

Get 1 updated COVID-19 vaccine

Everyone 6 years and older should get 1 updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of whether they’ve received any original COVID-19 vaccines.

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

Recommendations for People Who May Get Additional Updated COVID-19 Vaccines

Some people may get additional doses of COVID-19 vaccines:

  • People aged 65 years and older may get 1 additional dose of COVID-19 vaccine 4 or more months after the 1st updated COVID-19 vaccine.
  • People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may get 1 additional dose of updated COVID-19 vaccine 2 or more months after the last updated COVID-19 vaccine. Talk to your healthcare provider about additional updated doses.

Recommendations for Children Aged 6 Months—5 Years

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:

When Are You Up to Date?

Everyone aged 6 years and older

You are up to date when you get 1 updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

Children aged 6 months—5 years who got the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine

You are up to date if you are:

  • Aged 6 Months—4 years and you get 3 COVID-19 vaccine doses, including at least 1 updated COVID-19 dose.
  • Aged 5 years and you get at least 1 updated COVID-19 vaccine dose.

Children aged 6 months—5 years who got the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine

You are up to date when you get 2 Moderna COVID-19 vaccine doses, including at least 1 updated COVID-19 vaccine dose.

People who are unable or choose not to get a recommended mRNA vaccine

You are up to date when you get the Novavax COVID-19 vaccine doses approved for your age group.

People who got the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine

You are up to date when you get 1 updated COVID-19 vaccine.

About COVID-19 Vaccines

COVID-19 vaccines available in the United States are effective at protecting people from getting seriously ill, being hospitalized, and dying. As with other vaccine-preventable diseases, you are best protected best from COVID-19 when you stay up to date with the recommended vaccinations.

COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the United States:

  • Pfizer-BioNTech
  • Moderna
  • Novavax
  • Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen (J&J/Janssen)

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

Updated vaccines, sometimes called “bivalent” vaccines

The updated vaccines are called “updated” 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.

Original vaccines, sometimes called “monovalent” vaccines

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

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

New vaccines expected in fall 2023

On June 15, 2023, an FDA advisory committee met to talk about COVID-19 vaccines and additional strains of the COVID-19 virus. They recommended that COVID-19 vaccines should be updated to provide protection against the Omicron variant XBB.1.5 for use by the fall of 2023.

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:

Learn About Getting Your Vaccine
  • Do you need to wait to get vaccinated after getting COVID-19 or getting treatment for COVID-19?
  • How can you prepare for vaccination?
  • What can you expect during and after your vaccination?
Getting Your COVID-19 Vaccine

Vaccination Received Outside the United States

For Healthcare and Public Health

Use of COVID-19 Vaccines in the United States: Interim Clinical Considerations