If you are already fully vaccinated, you can’t make an appointment to receive another type of vaccine as your primary vaccine series, but most vaccination clinics allow walkup appointments, or you can request a different type of vaccine onsite, if available. Since your clinical team is best positioned to determine the appropriate timing of vaccination, it is best to get a physician’s order to receive a different vaccine. Be sure to take the physician’s order with you, but please know it is up to the clinic to decide if it will honor the order.

People are protected best from COVID-19 when they stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines, which includes getting all recommended boosters when eligible. Millions of people age 5 and older are eligible to receive a booster shot and will benefit from additional protection. You may choose to receive a different vaccine for your booster shot if you have completed a primary series and eligible for a booster. For booster vaccination, CDC recommends eligible people age 5 and older receive an age-appropriate, updated Pfizer or Moderna vaccine that offers better protection against variants. The monovalent Novavax booster and the Johnson & Johnson primary and booster vaccinations are authorized for people 18 and older in limited situations.

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 allow for this type of mix and match dosing for booster shots.

See additional recommendations for people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised. The recommended vaccination schedule from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is available here.