Current COVID-19 Vaccination Recommendations
All individuals aged 5 years and older should receive one dose of the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine formulation targeting the Omicron JN.1 lineage strains, regardless of previous vaccination history. 1
Primary Vaccination Series
For unvaccinated individuals:
- Adults and adolescents ≥12 years: Either 2 doses of mRNA vaccine (Moderna or Pfizer-BioNTech) or 2 doses of Novavax 1
- Children 6 months-11 years: Initial multidose vaccination series including at least 1 dose of 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine 1
- Unvaccinated children 6 months-4 years: 2 doses of Moderna (4-8 weeks apart) or 3 doses of Pfizer-BioNTech (3-8 weeks between doses 1-2, ≥8 weeks between doses 2-3) 1
Special Populations
Immunocompromised Individuals
- Adults and adolescents ≥12 years: Either 3 doses of 2024-2025 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine or 2 doses of 2024-2025 Novavax COVID-19 vaccine 1
- Children 6 months-11 years: A 3-dose series of 2024-2025 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine 1
Cancer Patients
- Should receive COVID-19 vaccination to reduce risk of severe illness
- Additional vaccine doses recommended after a 2-month interval for patients receiving therapies that weaken vaccine responses
- Consider vaccination 4 weeks before or 6 months after anti-CD20 medications 1
Vaccine Effectiveness
The 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccines have demonstrated:
- 33% effectiveness against COVID-19-associated ED/UC visits among adults ≥18 years
- 45-46% effectiveness against COVID-19-associated hospitalization among immunocompetent adults ≥65 years
- 40% effectiveness against COVID-19-associated hospitalization among immunocompromised adults ≥65 years 1
Previous data showed that bivalent COVID-19 vaccine booster doses improved protection against SARS-CoV-2 Omicron sublineages and were particularly important for those at increased risk for severe illness and death 2.
Timing Considerations
- After COVID-19 infection: Complete isolation period and ensure acute symptoms have resolved before vaccination
- Optimal timing: Consider waiting 3 months after infection for enhanced immune response, balancing protection against reinfection with natural immunity 1
- For those who received previous vaccines: At least 2 months after the last recommended dose 1
Safety Profile
- Common reactions include injection site pain, fatigue, headache, and muscle pain
- Serious adverse events are rare 1
- Two statistical signals were identified in previous vaccine safety monitoring:
- Guillain-Barré syndrome among persons aged ≥65 years (evidence inconclusive)
- Ischemic stroke among adults aged ≥50 years (no clear evidence of a safety problem) 1
Reporting Adverse Events
Healthcare providers should report adverse events to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) at https://vaers.hhs.gov or 1-800-822-7967, particularly for:
- Vaccine administration errors
- Serious adverse events
- Cases of multisystem inflammatory syndrome
- Cases of myocarditis or pericarditis
- Cases of COVID-19 that result in hospitalization or death after vaccination 2, 1
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- Relying solely on natural immunity: Vaccination after infection provides more durable and broader protection than infection alone 1
- Waiting too long after infection: Leaves individuals vulnerable to reinfection as natural immunity wanes 1
- Overlooking immunocompromised patients: These individuals require different dosing schedules compared to the general population 1
- Not recognizing the importance of vaccination in rural areas: Previous data showed lower primary series completion and up-to-date vaccination coverage in rural areas 3
COVID-19 vaccination remains a critical tool in preventing severe disease, hospitalization, and death, with the latest formulations targeting current circulating variants to provide optimal protection.