As the holiday season approaches, remember to protect yourself and others by staying up-to-date with your COVID-19 and flu vaccines. You may be eligible to receive your flu vaccine at the same time as a recommended COVID-19 vaccine. Your healthcare practitioner or pharmacist can help you decide if you should receive both vaccines at the same time.
Flu Vaccine
CDC recommends that everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine every flu season, with rare exceptions. Vaccination is particularly important for people who are at higher risk of serious complications from influenza. A full listing of people at Higher Risk of Developing Flu-Related Complications is available.
COVID-19 Vaccine
CDC recommends that people ages 5 years and older receive one updated (bivalent) booster if it has been at least 2 months since their last COVID-19 vaccine dose, whether that was:
- Their final primary series dose; or
- An original (monovalent) booster.
People who have gotten more than one original (monovalent) booster are also recommended to get an updated (bivalent) booster.
Staying up-to-date with COVID-19 vaccination is important for maximum protection. You are up-to-date with your COVID-19 vaccines if you have completed a COVID-19 vaccine primary series and received the most recent booster dose recommended for you by CDC.
You are still up-to-date if you receive all COVID-19 vaccine doses recommended for you and then become ill with COVID-19. You do not need to be immediately revaccinated or receive an additional booster.
Updated (bivalent) boosters became available on:
- September 2, 2022, for people 12 years of age and older; and
- October 12, 2022, for people aged 5–11.
Your healthcare practitioner, including your pharmacist, can help you determine if you are up to date with your vaccines.
Additional Resources
