When Should You Get Your Next COVID Vaccine Dose?
And will healthy children and pregnant women still be able to get vaccinated?
With the news that Secretary RFK Jr is no longer recommending COVID vaccines for pregnant women and healthy children, it might have you wondering when you should get your next COVID vaccine dose.
Or even if they will be available…
When Should You Get Your Next COVID Vaccine Dose?
I’m guessing that Secretary RFK Jr and his MAHA clan might be pleased if no one ever got another COVID vaccine.
And most folks are confused about whether they need another dose.
Or if they will be able to get one if they want to be vaccinated and protected.
On the bright side, COVID vaccines are still available for most people, however, they are not the updated version. That means that most people who have already received the 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine don’t yet need another dose.
The exceptions would be folks who are moderately or severely immunocompromised.
“People ages 6 months and older who are moderately or severely immunocompromised should get at least 2 doses of the 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine 6 months apart.”
Vaccines for Moderately to Severely Immunocompromised People
As they should get a second dose of a COVID vaccine six months (minimum two months) after their last dose, they might still need another dose this year.
Seniors who are aged 65 years and over should also get two doses of the 2 doses of the 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine 6 months apart.
“While it is the recommended to get 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine doses 6 months apart, the minimum time is 2 months apart, which allows flexibility to get the second dose prior to typical COVID-19 surges, travel, life events, and healthcare visits.”
Staying Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines
And of course, children who have started, but have not completed the initial series of COVID vaccinations might still be due for another dose now. They should finish their vaccination series.
When Will New COVID Vaccines Be Available?
Traditionally, new COVID vaccines become available in early fall.
They are considered new, because they include coverage for updated COVID strains and subvariants that are expected to be going around and getting people sick.
New COVID vaccines have been updated three times already.
“Based on the totality of the evidence, FDA has advised the manufacturers of the approved COVID-19 vaccines that to more closely match currently circulating SARS-CoV-2 viruses, the COVID-19 vaccines for use in the United States beginning in fall 2025 should be monovalent JN.1-lineage-based COVID-19 vaccines (2025-2026 Formula), preferentially using the LP.8.1 strain.”
COVID-19 Vaccines (2025-2026 Formula) for Use in the United States Beginning in Fall 2025
And while the latest Novavax vaccine is already based on a JN.1 strain, it isn’t clear if they will update it again to use the LP.8.1 subvariant.
Can Healthy Children and Pregnant Women Still Get a COVID Vaccine?
Before we talk about healthy children and pregnant women still being able to get a COVID vaccine, just remember that COVID vaccines are definitely still available for those with medical conditions that put them at higher risk for severe COVID disease!
What about healthy children and pregnant women?
Despite what Secretary RFK Jr said, know that The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists still recommends COVID vaccines for pregnant women.
And pediatricians still recommend COVID vaccines for their kids, especially for infants and toddlers who have never had COVID before. Remember, this is a group that isn’t getting repeated booster doses, but rather their first dose of a COVID vaccine for protection.
Who else agrees that they should be vaccinated?
“Following the authorisation of primary vaccination in infants and young children aged six months to five years in EU/EEA, 13 countries are recommending primary vaccination to those aged six months to five years with risk factors, seven countries are recommending primary vaccination to all infants and children in this age group, and four countries are not recommending vaccination to this age group.”
Overview of the implementation of COVID-19 vaccination strategies and deployment plans in the EU/EEA
Health care experts in many other countries recommend that young children and pregnant women should get a COVID vaccine.
“The majority of countries are recommending booster vaccination for residents in long-term care facilities (LTCFs), healthcare workers or personnel working in LTCFs, and pregnant women. An interval of minimum of three months to maximum of six months since the last vaccination or COVID- 19 infection is recommended.”
Overview of the implementation of COVID-19 vaccination strategies and deployment plans in the EU/EEA
Also, COVID vaccines are still approved by the FDA for both healthy children and pregnant women.
So, despite Secretary RFK Jr’s announcement posted in a video on Twitter (now known as X), healthy children and pregnant women should still be able to get vaccinated. Just remind your provider or pharmacist that the vaccines are FDA approved.
References
Vaccines for Moderately to Severely Immunocompromised People https://www.cdc.gov/covid/vaccines/immunocompromised-people.html
Staying Up to Date with COVID-19 Vaccines https://www.cdc.gov/covid/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html
Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee May 22, 2025 Meeting Announcement https://www.fda.gov/advisory-committees/advisory-committee-calendar/vaccines-and-related-biological-products-advisory-committee-may-22-2025-meeting-announcement
ACOG Statement on HHS Recommendations Regarding the COVID Vaccine During Pregnancy https://www.acog.org/news/news-releases/2025/05/acog-statement-on-hhs-recommendations-regarding-the-covid-vaccine-during-pregnancy
AAP: Removal of COVID vaccines from immunization schedules for healthy children, pregnant people disregards process, increases risk https://publications.aap.org/aapnews/news/32325/AAP-denounces-removal-of-COVID-vaccines-from
Overview of the implementation of COVID-19 vaccination strategies and deployment plans in the EU/EEA https://www.ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications-data/overview-implementation-covid-19-vaccination-strategies-and-deployment-plans
The Straight Shot: Federal vaccine updates - May 28, 2025 https://www.cspinet.org/cspi-news/straight-shot-federal-vaccine-updates-may-28-2025
Every 6 months in Canada now.