Are there new COVID-19 (Coronavirus Disease 2019) vaccines available for the general population, including adults and children?

COVID-19 Vaccination: Current Availability and Recommendations

Yes, updated COVID-19 vaccines are available and routinely recommended for all individuals aged 6 months and older, with the 2024-2025 formulations based on Omicron KP.2 and JN.1 strains now FDA-approved and authorized for use. 1

Current Vaccine Availability

The 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccines represent the most recent formulation available:

• Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech vaccines are FDA-approved for persons aged ≥12 years and authorized under Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) for children aged 6 months–11 years as of August 22,2024 1
• COMIRNATY (Pfizer-BioNTech) is specifically approved for individuals 65 years and older, or 5-64 years with at least one underlying condition that increases risk for severe COVID-19 2
• These vaccines target the Omicron KP.2 and JN.1 strains, representing a significant update from previous formulations 1

Universal Vaccination Recommendations

The CDC now includes COVID-19 vaccination as a routine recommendation for all age groups:

• All persons aged ≥6 months should receive the 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of prior vaccination history 1
• All adults should receive COVID-19 vaccination, as indicated by the addition of COVID-19 to routine adult immunization schedules in 2023 3
• Children and adolescents aged ≤18 years should receive a 2- or 3-dose primary series plus booster doses as indicated 3

Timing and Interval Guidelines

The minimum interval between any prior COVID-19 vaccine dose and the 2024-2025 vaccine is 2 months 1

For specific populations:

• Adults aged ≥65 years should receive a single dose of the updated vaccine immediately, with a minimum interval of 8 weeks since the last COVID-19 vaccine dose 4
• Persons with recent SARS-CoV-2 infection may consider delaying vaccination by 3 months from symptom onset or positive test result 1
• Any manufacturer is acceptable, and the vaccine does not need to match prior vaccinations 4

Special Population Considerations

Immunocompromised individuals require modified dosing schedules:

• Moderately or severely immunocompromised persons aged ≥6 months should receive 2 or 3 doses of the same brand of updated COVID-19 vaccine 1
• Updated vaccines should be administered at least 2 weeks before initiation or resumption of immunosuppressive therapies 1
• Hematopoietic cell transplant recipients should receive vaccination 6 months post-transplant, with consideration for early vaccination at 3 months during community outbreaks 1
• Specific guidance for HIV infection and other immunocompromising conditions is available in the detailed notes sections of immunization schedules 3

Vaccine Effectiveness

Current evidence demonstrates moderate effectiveness against symptomatic infection and hospitalization:

• Vaccine effectiveness against symptomatic infection was 58% for XBB-sublineage and 37% for JN.1-sublineage at 60-119 days post-vaccination among adults (moderate strength of evidence) 1
• Vaccine effectiveness against COVID-19-associated hospitalization was 49% at 7-59 days, declining to 14% at 120-179 days among immunocompetent adults (low strength of evidence) 1
• Common adverse events remain consistent with previous formulations, including injection site reactions and systemic reactions 1

Co-administration with Other Vaccines

COVID-19 vaccines can be administered simultaneously with other vaccines:

• RSV vaccination is recommended for adults ≥60 years and can be co-administered with COVID-19 vaccine 4
• Influenza vaccine (preferentially high-dose, recombinant, or adjuvanted for adults ≥65 years) can be administered during the same visit as COVID-19 and RSV vaccines 4

Key Clinical Pitfalls to Avoid

• Do not delay vaccination waiting for a "better" vaccine—the current formulation is optimized for circulating strains 1
• Do not assume prior infection provides adequate protection—vaccination is recommended regardless of infection history 1
• Do not overlook immunocompromised patients—they require additional doses and specific timing considerations 1
• Monitor for rare adverse events including Guillain-Barré syndrome and ischemic stroke, though these remain uncommon 1