Two doses are needed for ages 6 months through age 17, four to eight weeks apart Two doses are needed for ages 18 and up, 28 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if needed) in the U.S. This second booster dose can be given to those eligible four months after a first booster dose of any authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccine for adults and after a first booster dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for kids. If you are age 18 and older, have a weakened immune system and had two doses of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine and an additional primary shot, and it’s been at least three months since the additional shot, get a single booster dose.Ī second booster dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for certain people who have a weakened immune system, kids age 12 and older who have a weakened immune system, and people age 50 or older. Kids ages 5 through 17 who have a weakened immune system should get a Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine booster shot if they have been given both doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and it’s been at least three months since the additional primary shot. If you are age 5 or older, have been given both doses of the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine and it’s been at least 5 months, you should get a single booster dose. An additional primary shot might improve their protection against the COVID-19 virus. People with weakened immune systems might not develop enough immunity after vaccination with two doses of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine. The CDC recommends an additional primary shot of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine (at least 28 days after the second dose) for some people age 5 and older with weakened immune systems, such as those who have had an organ transplant. Some protection provided after the first dose Three doses are needed for age 6 months through age 4, with the first two shots given 3 to 8 weeks apart and the third shot at least eight weeks after the second shot
Vaccine covid series#
Therefore, we have not advised manufacturers to change the vaccine for primary vaccination, since a primary series with this vaccine provides a base of protection against serious outcomes of COVID-19 caused by circulating strains of SARS-CoV-2.Two doses are needed, 21 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if needed) in the U.S. We expect this coming year, when these modified booster vaccines will be introduced, to be a transitional period.
Vaccine covid update#
In consideration of the committee’s vote and the discussion that took place about the specific SARS-CoV-2 variant to include, and considering the totality of the available evidence, FDA has advised vaccine manufacturers seeking to update their COVID-19 vaccines that they should develop modified vaccines that add an Omicron BA.4/5 component to their current vaccine compositions to create two component (bivalent) booster vaccines. FDA’s Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee (VRBPAC) held a virtual meeting on June 28, 2022, to publicly discuss whether a change to the current vaccine strain composition of COVID-19 vaccine booster doses is necessary for the 2022 fall and winter seasons.Ī majority of the committee voted in favor of including a SARS-CoV-2 Omicron component in COVID-19 vaccines that would be used for booster doses in the U.S.