FDA approved and authorized the 2024-2025 mRNA COVID-19 vaccines on August 22, 2024. FDA authorized Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine, Adjuvanted (2024 – 2025 Formula) under Emergency Use Authorization on August 30, 2024. This page will be updated soon with additional information.
- Everyone ages 6 months and older should get a 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine.
- The COVID-19 vaccine helps protect you from severe disease, hospitalization, and death.
- It is especially important to get your 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine if you are ages 65 and older, are at high risk for severe COVID-19, or have never received a COVID-19 vaccine.
- Vaccine protection decreases over time, so it is important to stay up to date with your COVID-19 vaccine.
Who needs a COVID-19 vaccine
Reminder
Everyone ages 6 months and older should get the 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine. This includes people who have received a COVID-19 vaccine before and people who have had COVID-19.
Importance of staying up to date
- Getting the 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine is important because:
- Protection from the COVID-19 vaccine decreases with time.
- COVID-19 vaccines are updated to give you the best protection from the currently circulating strains.
- Getting the 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine is especially important if you:
When are you up to date?
Children ages 6 months–4 years
- Your child is up to date when they have received all recommended doses, including at least 1 dose of the 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine.
| If your child previously had: | Your child should get: |
|---|---|
| 0 doses (was never vaccinated) | 2 doses of the 2024–2025 Moderna vaccine
OR 3 doses of the 2024–2025 Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine |
| 1 or more doses of Moderna vaccine | 1 dose of the 2024–2025 Moderna vaccine |
| 1 dose of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine | 2 doses of the 2024–2025 Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine |
| 2 or more doses of Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine | 1 dose of the 2024–2025 Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine |
Children ages 5–11 years
- You are up to date when you have received:
- 1 dose of the 2024–2025 Moderna OR
- 1 dose of the 2024–2025 Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine.
People ages 12 years and older
- You are up to date when you have received:
- 1 dose of the 2024–2025 Moderna COVID-19 vaccine OR
- 1 dose of the 2024–2025 Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine
If you are ages 65 years and older, an additional COVID-19 vaccine dose—beyond what is listed above—is NOT currently recommended unless you are moderately or severely immunocompromised.
People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised
There are different recommendations if you are moderately or severely immunocompromised; see Vaccines for Moderately to Severely Immunocompromised People.
People who recently had COVID-19
- People who recently had COVID-19 may delay getting a COVID-19 vaccine for 3 months.
- The risk of getting COVID-19 is less likely in the weeks to months following a SARS-CoV-2 infection.
- Certain factors could be reasons to get a vaccine sooner rather than later, such as:
Recommended COVID-19 Vaccines
Two vaccines are available for use in the United States. There is no preference for one vaccine over the other when more than one vaccine is recommended for an age group.
| Vaccine | Recommended for: |
|---|---|
| 2024–2025 Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine | Everyone ages 6 months and older |
| 2024–2025 Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine | Everyone ages 6 months and older |
Note: The 2023–2024 Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine remains authorized but is no longer available in the United States, as all doses have expired. Accordingly, at this time, CDC recommendations for use of Novavax COVID-19 Vaccine have been removed. This page will be updated if FDA approves or authorizes additional 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccines.
Content Source:
National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases; Coronavirus and Other Respiratory Viruses Division
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