Stay Up to Date with Your COVID-19 Vaccines
Get Vaccinated and Stay Up to Date
Fully vaccinated means a person has received all recommended doses in their primary series of COVID-19 vaccine.
Up to date means a person has received all recommended doses in their primary series COVID-19 vaccine, and a booster dose when eligible.
COVID-19 Vaccines
COVID-19 vaccines available in the United States are effective at protecting people from getting seriously ill, being hospitalized, and even dying. As with vaccines for other diseases, people who are up to date are protected best. CDC recommends that everyone ages 5 years and older get their primary series of COVID-19 vaccine, and everyone ages 12 years and older also receive a booster shot.
Approved or Authorized Vaccines
Three COVID-19 vaccines are authorized or approved for use in the United States to prevent COVID-19. Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna are COVID-19 mRNA vaccines and are preferred. You may get Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccine in some situations.
When Are You Up to Date?
You are up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines when you have followed the current recommendations listed below. The recommendations will be different depending on your age, your health status, and when you first got vaccinated.
If you are moderately or severely immunocompromised, please read the specific COVID-19 vaccine primary series and booster recommendations for you.
1 If you had a severe allergic reaction after a previous dose of COVID-19 vaccine or if you have a known (diagnosed) allergy to a COVID-19 vaccine ingredient, you should not get that vaccine. If you have been instructed not to get one type of COVID-19 vaccine, you may still be able to get another type.
2 Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines (mRNA COVID-19 vaccines) are preferred. You may get the J&J/Janssen COVID-19 vaccine in some situations.
3 People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised have specific COVID-19 vaccine recommendations for the primary series and booster dose due to their different immune response following COVID-19 vaccination.
4 Talk to your healthcare or vaccine provider about the timing of the second shot that is right for you.
- People ages 12 through 64 years, and especially males ages 12 through 39 years, may consider getting the second dose 8 weeks after the first dose. A longer time between the first and second doses may increase the effectiveness of these vaccines, and further minimize the already rare risk of heart problems, including myocarditis and pericarditis.
- People ages 5 through 11 years, people 65 years and older, people at risk of severe disease, or anyone wanting protection due to high levels of community transmission should get the second dose of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine 3 weeks (or 21 days) after the first dose, or the second dose of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine 4 weeks (or 28 days) after the first dose.
Mixing COVID-19 Vaccine Products
CDC does not recommend mixing products for your primary vaccine series. If you received a Pfizer-BioNTech or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, you should get the same product when you need a second shot. However, people ages 18 years and older may get a different product for their booster shot.
Scheduling Your COVID-19 Vaccines
There are several ways you can find a vaccine provider.
Find a COVID-19 vaccine or booster: Search vaccines.gov, text your ZIP code to 438829, or call 1-800-232-0233 to find locations near you.
You can get your COVID-19 vaccines at the same location, or different locations.
- If you need help scheduling your second shot or your booster, contact the location that set up your previous appointment.
- Some community vaccination clinics have closed. You can get your second shot or your booster at a different location.
Learn more about getting your COVID-19 vaccine.
