Some COVID-19 Vaccine Recipients Can Get Booster Shots
People who received a primary mRNA COVID-19 vaccine series and are 65 years and older, 50–64 years with underlying medical conditions, or 18 years and older who live in long-term care settings should receive a booster shot at least 6 months after completing the primary series (which may include an additional primary dose in persons with moderate to severe immunocompromise).
People who received a primary mRNA COVID-19 vaccine series and are 18-49 years old with underlying medical conditions, or 18 years and older who work or live in high-risk settings may receive a booster shot at least 6 months after completing the primary series (which may include an additional primary dose in persons with moderate to severe immunocompromise).
People who received the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine and are 18 years and older should receive a booster shot at least 2 months after receiving their primary vaccine dose.
IF YOU RECEIVED
Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna
You are eligible for a booster if you are:
65 years or older
Age 18+ who live in long-term care settings
Age 18+ who have underlying medical conditions
Age 18+ who work or live in high-risk settings
When to get a booster: At least 6 months after completing your primary COVID-19 vaccination series Which booster should you get? Any of the COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the United States
IF YOU RECEIVED Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen You are eligible for a booster if you are: 18 years or older When to get a booster: At least 2 months after your shot Which booster should you get? Any of the COVID-19 vaccines authorized in the United States
Choosing Your COVID-19 Booster Shot
You may choose which COVID-19 vaccine you receive as a booster shot. Some people may have a preference for the vaccine type that they originally received, and others may prefer to get a different booster. CDC’s recommendations now allow for this type of mix and match dosing for booster shots.
Learn how you can find a COVID-19 vaccine near you.
IF YOU RECEIVED
Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine
Older adults age 65 years and older
People ages 65 years and older should get a booster shot. The risk of severe illness from COVID-19 increases with age and can also increase for adults of any age with underlying medical conditions.
Long-term care setting residents ages 18 years and older
Residents ages 18 years and older of long-term care settings should get a booster shot. Because residents in long-term care settings live closely together in group settings and are often older adults with underlying medical conditions, they are at increased risk of infection and severe illness from COVID-19.
People with underlying medical conditions ages 50–64 years
People ages 50–64 years with underlying medical conditions should get a booster shot. The risk of severe illness from COVID-19 increases with age and can also increase for adults of any age with underlying medical conditions.
People with underlying medical conditions ages 18–49 years
People ages 18–49 years with underlying medical conditions may get a booster shot based on their individual risks and benefits. The risk of severe illness from COVID-19 can increase for adults of any age with underlying medical conditions. This recommendation may change in the future as more data become available.
People who work or live in high-risk settings ages 18–64 years
People ages 18–64 years at increased risk for COVID-19 exposure and transmission because of occupational or institutional setting may get a booster shot based on their individual risks and benefits. Adults who work or reside in certain settings (e.g., health care, schools, correctional facilities, homeless shelters) may be at increased risk of being exposed to COVID-19, which could be spreading where they work or reside. That risk can vary across settings and be affected by how much COVID-19 is spreading in a community. This recommendation may change in the future as more data become available.
Examples of workers who may get COVID-19 booster shots: [ 1 ]
First responders (e.g., healthcare workers, firefighters, police, congregate care staff)
Education staff (e.g., teachers, support staff, daycare workers)
Food and agriculture workers
Manufacturing workers
Corrections workers
U.S. Postal Service workers
Public transit workers
Grocery store workers
1 List could be updated in the future.
IF YOU RECEIVED J&J/Janssen COVID-19 Vaccine People ages 18 years and older who received a J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine at least 2 months ago should get a booster shot. A single dose of the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine has lower vaccine effectiveness compared to two doses.
Your Vaccination Card and Booster Shots At your first vaccination appointment, you should have received a CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card that tells you what COVID-19 vaccine you received, the date you received it, and where you received it. Bring this vaccination card to your booster shot vaccination appointment. If you did not receive a CDC COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card at your first appointment, contact the vaccination site where you got your first shot or your state health department to find out how you can get a card.
Information gathered from cdc.gov