Updated Recommendations Issued Regarding COVID-19 Vaccines

The Department of Health has updated “Recommendations Regarding the Monovalent and Bivalent mRNA COVID-19 Vaccines.” A summary of these updates include:

• The FDA announced on April 18, 2023, that it had rescinded the authorization for the monovalent Pfizer-BioNTech and monovalent Moderna COVID-19 vaccines and that the bivalent Pfizer-BioNTech and bivalent Moderna vaccines are now authorized for all doses for individuals 6 months and older.
• The FDA authorization for the Novavax vaccine is unchanged.
• The definition of up-to-date for COVID-19 vaccination was simplified, and now all individuals 6 years and older who have received a single dose of a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of past history of receiving monovalent COVID-19 vaccine, are considered up-to-date.
• Children 6 months through 4 years of age who are unvaccinated may receive a 2-dose series of the Moderna bivalent or a 3-dose series of the Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent vaccine.
• Children who are 5 years old and are unvaccinated may receive 2 doses of the Moderna bivalent vaccine or 1 dose of the Pfizer-BioNTech bivalent vaccine.
• Children 6 months to 5 years of age who received one, two, or three doses of monovalent COVID-19 vaccine may receive bivalent vaccine, but the number of doses that they receive will depend upon the vaccine given and their vaccination history.
• Individuals 65 and older and those with certain immunocompromising conditions may choose to receive an additional dose of the bivalent Pfizer-BioNTech or bivalent Moderna vaccine.
• If you have any questions, please call PA DOH at 877-PA-HEALTH (877-724-3258) or your local health department.

You can view the entire health advisory here.