COVID-19 Vaccines

• The Pfizer (Comirnaty), Moderna (Spikevax), and Novavax vaccines are recommended over the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen (J&J) vaccine because they have fewer potential risks. But you may get the J&J vaccine in some situations.
• Children and teens - COVID-19 vaccines are recommended for children ages 6 months and older. Children ages 6 months and older can get Pfizer or Moderna vaccines. Children ages 12 and over can also get the Novavax vaccine. The dose of vaccine is based on the age of the child on the day of their vaccine, not on their size or weight. Children ages 12 and over get the same dose of vaccine as teens and adults. For more information, see the CDC webpage Stay Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines Including Boosters.

• If you have COVID-19 now, wait until you have recovered (if you had symptoms) and finished isolation to get any COVID-19 vaccine doses. This is so that you don’t spread COVID-19 to healthcare workers and others when you go to get vaccinated. Getting a COVID-19 vaccine after you recover from your infection provides added protection against COVID-19.
• If you recently had COVID-19, you may consider delaying a vaccine dose (primary series or booster) by 3 months from when your symptoms started or when you first had a positive test (if you didn’t have any symptoms).

The timing of your 2nd dose of the primary series depends on your individual situation:

• People under 65 years of age, and especially males ages 12 through 39 years, may consider getting the second dose of Pfizer, Moderna, or Novavax vaccine 8 weeks after the first dose. A longer time between the first and second doses may increase how much protection the vaccines offer, and further minimize the already rare risk of myocarditis (inflammation of the heart muscle) and pericarditis (inflammation of the outer lining of the heart).
• People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised or who need the fullest possible protection sooner should get their second dose earlier: at least 3 weeks after the 1st dose of Pfizer or Novavax; at least 4 weeks after the 1st dose of Moderna. For example, if there is an increase of COVID-19 spread in the community and/or they are at higher risk for severe disease.
• People ages 65 years and older should get the 2nd dose of Pfizer or Novavax vaccine 3 weeks after the first dose, or the 2nd dose of Moderna vaccine 4 weeks after the first dose.

Treatment to prevent COVID-19 for some people with weak immune systems.

In addition to vaccination, there is an injectable medicine called Evusheld that is used before a person is exposed to COVID-19 to help prevent them from getting infected. It can be given to people ages 12 and older who weigh at least 88 lbs. whose immune system is not strong enough to mount a response to the vaccine. For more information, see FDA fact sheet and talk to your doctor to see if this treatment is right for you.

• If you were vaccinated outside of the US: visit the CDC webpage Stay Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines Including Boosters and scroll down to the Vaccination Outside the United States section for the latest information including boosters. Detailed information is available in Appendix B of the CDC Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines.
• If you received a mix-and-match series: visit the CDC webpage Stay Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines Including Boosters and scroll down to the Mixing COVID-19 Vaccine Products section for the latest information including boosters.
• If you were vaccinated as part of a clinical trial: detailed information is available in Appendix C of the CDC Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines.