Yes, the updated COVID-19 vaccine for the 2024-2025 season is out and widely available at pharmacies, doctor’s offices, and health clinics across the United States. The FDA authorized the updated Pfizer and Moderna formulas on August 22, 2024, and Novavax followed shortly after. Everyone aged 6 months and older is eligible for a dose.
What the Current Vaccine Targets
The 2024-2025 vaccines target the KP.2 strain, a descendant of the JN.1 Omicron subvariant that became dominant in 2024. All three available options, Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax, are designed around this lineage. This is a meaningful update from older formulations, which targeted earlier Omicron strains that are no longer circulating widely.
Planning for the next round is already underway. The FDA’s advisory committee met in May 2025 to discuss the 2025-2026 formula, with a JN.1-lineage vaccine again considered the baseline. A newer subvariant called LP.8.1 is being evaluated as a possible alternative target, and the European Medicines Agency has already recommended it as a preferred antigen for upcoming campaigns. For now, though, the KP.2-based shots remain the current option.
Who Should Get It
The CDC recommends one dose of the 2024-2025 vaccine for everyone aged 6 months and older, regardless of whether you’ve been vaccinated before. If you’ve never received any COVID vaccine, the number of doses in your initial series depends on your age and which vaccine you choose, but at minimum you’ll need one updated shot.
Two groups are recommended to get a second dose of the updated vaccine, given at least six months after the first (with a minimum interval of two months):
- Adults 65 and older. The additional dose was recommended by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices on October 23, 2024.
- People aged 6 months to 64 with moderate or severe immune compromise. This includes people on immunosuppressive medications, organ transplant recipients, and others with weakened immune systems. These individuals may receive three or more doses of the updated vaccine based on discussions with their doctor.
If you’re 65 or older and previously unvaccinated, and you choose Novavax, you’ll need two initial doses followed by a third dose at least six months later.
Your Options: Pfizer, Moderna, or Novavax
Pfizer and Moderna both use mRNA technology, the same platform they’ve used since the original vaccines. Novavax uses a protein-based approach, which works differently: instead of instructing your cells to produce a piece of the virus, it delivers the protein directly along with an immune-boosting ingredient called an adjuvant. Some people who experienced notable side effects from mRNA shots have preferred the Novavax option, though side effect profiles are similar on paper.
It’s worth noting that the FDA revoked the emergency use authorization for Novavax’s COVID vaccine on August 27, 2025, though a fully approved version (Nuvaxovid) remains FDA-approved. Availability may shift over time, so if you specifically want Novavax, check with your pharmacy before booking an appointment.
Timing After a Recent COVID Infection
If you’ve recently had COVID, the CDC says you can delay your vaccine by three months. The clock starts from when your symptoms began, or from the date of your positive test if you had no symptoms. You don’t have to wait the full three months. It’s a “may delay” recommendation, not a requirement. But waiting allows your natural immune response to provide some protection in the interim, and spacing it out may produce a stronger response to the vaccine when you do get it.
Getting Your Flu Shot at the Same Time
You can get the COVID vaccine and a flu shot in the same visit. The CDC says there’s no required waiting period between the two. Studies have found that people who received both at once were slightly more likely to report fatigue, headache, and muscle aches compared to those who got just the COVID shot alone, but those reactions were mostly mild and resolved quickly. If you get both as injections, they should be given at least one inch apart, either in the same arm or in different arms.
Common Side Effects
Side effects from the updated vaccines are consistent with what earlier versions produced. For the mRNA vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, the most common reactions include soreness at the injection site, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, joint pain, chills, and fever. Moderna’s formula also lists nausea and vomiting as a possible reaction. Novavax carries the same list, with the addition of swelling at the injection site.
Most side effects are mild and short-lived, typically resolving within a day or two. In infants and toddlers, the most common responses are irritability or crying, decreased appetite, and sleepiness rather than the headache and fatigue pattern seen in adults.
Where to Get It and What It Costs
The updated vaccine is available at most major pharmacy chains, community health centers, and primary care offices. You can search for appointments through vaccines.gov or by contacting your local pharmacy directly. Most private insurance plans cover the vaccine at no cost to you.
For children whose families can’t afford the vaccine, the CDC’s Vaccines for Children (VFC) program provides it at no charge. If you’re uninsured or underinsured, community health centers and local health departments often offer vaccines on a sliding fee scale or at no cost. Calling ahead to confirm pricing and availability is the fastest way to avoid surprises.