The CDC will be taking steps to simplify COVID-19 vaccine recommendations and allow more flexibility for people at higher risk who want added protection from additional COVID-19 vaccine doses following the FDA regulatory action.
The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) members expressed their support for these COVID-19 changes and the associated implications and implementation.
These changes include:
- CDC’s new recommendations allow an additional updated (bivalent) vaccine dose for adults ages 65 years and older and additional doses for immunocompromised people. This allows more flexibility for healthcare providers to administer additional doses to immunocompromised patients as needed.
- Monovalent (original) COVID-19 mRNA COVID-19 vaccines will no longer be recommended for use in the United States.
- CDC recommends that everyone six years and older receive an updated (bivalent) mRNA COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of whether they previously completed their (monovalent) primary series.
- Individuals ages six years and older who have already received an updated mRNA vaccine do not need to take any action unless they are 65 years or older or immunocompromised.
- For young children, multiple doses continue to be recommended and will vary by age, vaccine, and which vaccines were previously received.
The CDC’s recommendations for using (monovalent) Novavax or Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen COVID-19 vaccines were not affected by the changes made today and alternatives to mRNA COVID-19 vaccines remain available for people who cannot or will not receive an mRNA vaccine.
