The CDC recommends people 6 months and older receive an age-appropriate, updated mRNA booster dose if at least 2 months have passed since their primary series or since their most recent booster dose. Updated boosters of Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna contain a bivalent formula that both boosts immunity against the original coronavirus strain and also protects against the newer Omicron variants. For children age 6 months to 4 years who get the Pfizer primary series, the updated bivalent vaccine will be used as the third dose in the series, rather than as a separate booster. Children in this age group who previously received 3 monovalent Pfizer primary series doses are eligible to receive 1 bivalent Pfizer booster dose at least 2 months after completion of the monovalent primary series.
CDC, FDA and other federal partners continue to monitor and evaluate the data, including whether additional booster doses may be needed for other populations in the future.
The CDC recommends that people stay up to date with their vaccinations and get boosted when eligible. Use CDC’s COVID-19 vaccination schedule, or answer a few questions on the CDC website to make sure you are up to date.