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.

Stay Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines

Stay Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines
Updated Mar. 7, 2024

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 5 years and older  should get 1 dose of an updated COVID-19 vaccine to protect against serious illness from COVID-19.
  • Children aged 6 months–4 years need multiple doses of COVID-19 vaccines to be up to date, including at least 1 dose of updated COVID-19 vaccine.
  • People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may get additional doses of updated COVID-19 vaccine.
  • People aged 65 years and older who received 1 dose of any updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna or Novavax) should receive 1 additional dose of an updated COVID-19 vaccine at least 4 months after the previous updated dose. For more Novavax information, click or tap here.
  • COVID-19 vaccine recommendations will be updated as needed.
  • People who are up to date have lower risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19 than people who are unvaccinated or who have not completed the doses recommended for them by CDC.

Recommendations for Everyone Aged 5 Years and Older

Everyone aged 5 years and older  should get 1 dose of an updated COVID-19 vaccine to protect against serious illness from COVID-19. None of the updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines is preferred over another.

Children aged 5 years – 11 years who are not vaccinated or have gotten previous COVID-19 vaccine(s)

Children aged 5 years – 11 years who are unvaccinated or have previously gotten a COVID-19 vaccine before September 12, 2023, should get 1 updated Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine.

People aged 12 years and older who are not vaccinated

People aged 12 years and older who are unvaccinated should get either:

  • 1 updated Pfizer-BioNTech or updated Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, OR 
  • 2 doses of updated Novavax COVID-19 vaccine. 

People aged 12 years and older who got previous COVID-19 vaccine(s)

People aged 12 years and older who got COVID-19 vaccines before September 12, 2023, should get 1 updated Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, or Novavax COVID-19 vaccine.

Vaccine Overview

Learn more about COVID-19 vaccines

Pfizer-BioNTech VaccineModerna VaccineNovavax Vaccine

‡12 years and older: People aged 12 years and older who have not previously gotten any COVID-19 vaccine doses and choose to get Novavax should get 2 doses of updated Novavax vaccine to be up to date.

People aged 65 years and older who have not previously received any COVID-19 vaccine doses and choose to get Novavax should get 2 doses of updated Novavax vaccine, followed by 1 additional dose of any updated 2023–2024 COVID-19 vaccine to be up to date.

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 Children Aged 6 Months—4 Years

Children Who Are Not Vaccinated

Children aged 6 months–4 years should get two or three doses of updated COVID-19 vaccine depending on which vaccine they receive.

Children Who Got Previous COVID-19 Vaccine(s)

Children aged 6 months–4 years who got COVID-19 vaccines before September 12, 2023, should get one or two doses of updated COVID-19 vaccine depending on which vaccine and the number of doses they’ve previously received.

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

People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may get additional doses of updated COVID-19 vaccines. Talk to your healthcare provider about additional updated doses.

People who are immunocompromised and aged 65 years and older who received 1 dose of any updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine (Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna or Novavax) should receive 1 additional dose of an updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine at least 2 months after the previous updated dose.

When Are You Up to Date?

People aged 5—64 years

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

Children aged 6 months—4 years

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

Everyone aged 65 years and older

You are up to date when you have received 2 updated 2023–2024 COVID-19 vaccine doses.*

*People aged 65 years and older who have not previously received any COVID-19 vaccine doses and choose to get Novavax should get 2 doses of updated Novavax vaccine, followed by 1 additional dose of any updated 2023–2024 COVID-19 vaccine to be up to date.

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

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

How Well COVID-19 Vaccines Work

  • People who are up to date have lower risk of severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19 than people who are unvaccinated or who have not completed the doses recommended for them by CDC.
  • Additional updated COVID-19 vaccine doses can help restore protection that has decreased since previous vaccination.
  • CDC will continue to provide updates as we learn more.

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 from COVID-19 when you stay up to date with the recommended vaccinations.

COVID-19 vaccines recommended for use in the United States:

  • Pfizer-BioNTech
  • Moderna
  • Novavax

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 targets the XBB lineage of the Omicron variant and could restore protection against severe COVID-19 that may have decreased over time. We anticipate the updated vaccines will be better at fighting currently circulating variants.

There is no preferential recommendation for the use of any one COVID-19 vaccine over another when more than one licensed or authorized, recommended, and age-appropriate vaccine is available.

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.

Getting Vaccines If You Recently Had 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:

Learn About Getting Your Vaccine
  • How can you prepare for vaccination?
  • What can you expect during and after your vaccination?
  • Uninsured? You can still get a free COVID-19 vaccine. Learn more about CDC’s Bridge Access program.
Getting Your COVID-19 Vaccine

Vaccination Received Outside the United States

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