Yes, there is. COVID-19 boosters are now updated annually, similar to the flu shot, and the latest round of vaccines is available now. Who needs one and how many doses depend on your age and immune status.
Who Should Get a Dose
The CDC recommends an updated COVID-19 vaccine for everyone aged 6 months and older. For most healthy adults between 12 and 64, one dose of the current formulation is all that’s needed. The vaccine targets recently circulating strains of the virus, so even if you got a shot last year, this season’s version is designed to match newer variants.
Two groups are recommended to get more than one dose of the current vaccine. Adults 65 and older should receive two doses, spaced at least six months apart. People aged 6 months through 64 who are moderately or severely immunocompromised (such as organ transplant recipients, people on certain cancer treatments, or those taking immune-suppressing medications) should also get at least two doses. In some cases, immunocompromised individuals may receive three or more doses based on a conversation with their doctor.
Timing Between Doses
How long you need to wait depends on which vaccine you’re getting. For Pfizer, Novavax, or Moderna’s original formulation (Spikevax), you should wait at least 8 weeks after your last COVID vaccine dose. Moderna also offers a newer formulation called mNexspike, which requires at least 3 months between doses. If you recently had COVID, spacing your shot a few weeks after recovery can help maximize the immune response, though there’s no strict required waiting period after infection.
Which Vaccines Are Available
Three manufacturers currently have vaccines on the market: Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, and Novavax. The Pfizer and Moderna options are mRNA vaccines. Novavax uses a different technology, a protein-based approach, which may appeal to people who had a rough reaction to an mRNA vaccine in the past. Protein-based vaccines generally produce milder side effects. As of late 2025, Novavax’s vaccine holds full FDA approval rather than emergency authorization.
What Side Effects to Expect
The side effects are the same ones people have experienced with previous COVID shots: soreness at the injection site, fatigue, body aches, joint pain, mild fever, chills, or nausea. These reactions are normal signs that your immune system is responding. They typically clear up within a day or two. The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines produce similar side effects at similar rates.
Getting It With Your Flu Shot
You can get a COVID vaccine and a flu vaccine at the same visit with no required waiting period between them. CDC studies found that people who got both at once were slightly more likely to experience fatigue, headache, and muscle aches compared to getting the COVID shot alone, but those reactions were mostly mild and resolved quickly. If you’re getting both shots in the same arm, they should be injected at least one inch apart.
Cost and Where to Go
Most people with health insurance, including Medicare and Medicaid, can get the updated vaccine at no cost. If you’re uninsured, local immunization programs run by health departments or community organizations may offer low-cost or free vaccines. Your state or local health department’s website is the best place to check availability near you. Pharmacies, doctor’s offices, and community health centers all carry the vaccines.