Is It Safe to Get the New COVID Vaccine While You Have COVID Infection?

Seasonal spikes in COVID have become the new normal. To help protect people from the latest COVID strains, the updated 2025-2026 COVID vaccines have been released by Moderna, Pfizer, and Novavax. 

You’ll hear some people call these latest vaccines “boosters.” Technically, though, they’re updated vaccines that target the most recent strains of the virus. They’re more effective than a booster shot, which would simply increase the immunity from a previous vaccine. The 2025-2026 vaccines are formulated to target JN.1 lineages using the LP.8.1 strain.

So, if you’re planning to get the updated vaccine, what happens if you get sick with COVID just before your appointment? Chances are you have some questions about timing. How do you best time your COVID shot? And, if you think you could have an active COVID infection, should you get the vaccine now or wait? 

What happens if you get a COVID vaccine while you test positive for COVID?

You may get infected with COVID right before or after your updated shot. Here’s what you need to know: 

• If you accidentally get vaccinated during a COVID infection, you may get more intense side effects from the vaccine. That’s because some COVID symptoms and vaccine side effects can feel quite similar.

• The shot will still work to boost your immune system the way it’s supposed to. 

• COVID vaccines start to provide immunity within 2 weeks after the first shot.

What if you get the updated vaccine while you’re sick (but COVID negative)?

You can still get vaccinated if you have symptoms of a cold and you test negative for COVID. Mild illness, like a stuffy nose or headache, won’t affect how well the COVID vaccine works, according to the CDC. And the vaccine won’t make the mild illness worse. But you might feel like you’re having worse side effects after the vaccine. That’s because the vaccine side effects and cold symptoms can be similar. 

If you choose to get the updated COVID vaccine while you’re sick, wear a mask to the vaccine site. This is to protect yourself and others — even if your COVID test is negative.

When to get your updated vaccine if you’ve tested positive or have symptoms of COVID

It’s best to wait to get your updated COVID shot if you’ve recently tested positive for COVID infection or have COVID symptoms. The latest CDC criteria say you should stay home until your symptoms are improving and you’ve had no fever for at least 24 hours.

Exactly how long should you wait before getting the vaccine? If you’re positive for COVID infection or have COVID symptoms, you should at least finish your recommended isolation period before getting the updated vaccine. That’s because you’re more likely to infect others while you still have a fever or your symptoms aren’t improving. 

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If you have moderate or severe symptoms of COVID, you should wait until you’re fully recovered before getting the vaccine.

How long should you wait to get a COVID booster after you’ve had COVID?

The CDC says that after a COVID infection, you can get the COVID shot when:

• Your symptoms have improved

• You’ve isolated for the recommended period of time

There’s no recommendation for the exact best time after infection to get the vaccine. But you may consider delaying your COVID vaccine by 3 months after a COVID infection. Immunity from an infection can last several months or longer. But you could be infected sooner if a new variant starts circulating. 

You might want to get your COVID vaccine sooner rather than later if you:

• Have a higher risk of severe disease

• Have regular close contact with someone at high risk of severe disease

• Live in a location with high rates of hospitalization due to COVID

• Think that the circulating COVID variants are different from the strain in the latest COVID vaccine 

To help you figure out the timing that makes the most sense for you, you can check in with a healthcare professional to decide what’s best for you.

Who needs an updated COVID shot this season?

The CDC’s 2025-2026 guidance says COVID vaccination is recommended for people ages 6 months and older using a shared clinical decision-making approach. In short, everyone can get the updated 2025-2026 vaccine, and the benefit is greatest for people at higher risk of severe disease.

Children ages 6 to 23 months

Here’s the guidance for babies and toddlers:

• Two-dose series, if previously unvaccinated (dose 2 is given 4 to 8 weeks after dose 1) 

• Single dose if previously vaccinated

Children ages 2 to 4 

Here’s is the guidance for toddlers and kids:

• Moderna vaccine given as a single 2025-2026 dose regardless of prior history

Everyone ages 5 and up

Here’s the guidance for children and adults:

• A single dose of the updated Moderna or Pfizer 2025-2026 vaccine, regardless of prior vaccination history

• Novavax — approved for people ages 12 and older and given as a single dose as well

Older adults and people who are immunocompromised

The schedule for older adults and for people who are moderate-to-severely immunocompromised is different: 

• It’s advised that these people receive two 2025-2026 doses. 

• Your second dose should be 2 to 3 months after your first dose, depending on which vaccine you get.

Can you strengthen your immune system before getting a COVID vaccine?

The best way to strengthen your immune system to fight COVID infection is to get vaccinated against COVID. Some healthy lifestyle choices might also help make that COVID vaccine even more effective. Your body’s immune cells may work better if you do the following:

• Get plenty of quality sleep. Getting a good night’s sleep may help your body have a better response to the COVID vaccine.

• Eat a nutritious diet. Following a balanced and nutritious diet can keep your body working at its best. 

• Address any vitamin deficiencies. Some vitamin deficiencies — like vitamin B6, zinc, and iron — have been linked to a lower response to vaccines in general. A small study looked at women with low vitamin D levels. When they got vitamin D supplements before the COVID vaccine, they developed higher antibodies to COVID than women who didn’t get supplementation. 

• Stay physically active. Some evidence suggests that regular physical exercise can boost your response to the COVID vaccine.

• Have a positive mindset toward the vaccine. An intriguing study looked at the relationship between people’s beliefs about COVID vaccines and their immune response. Researchers found that people who believed that side effects were a sign that the vaccine was working had a higher antibody response to the COVID vaccine 6 months later. 

Is the updated COVID vaccine worth it (even if you may still get COVID)?

Yes. Vaccines help prevent people from getting infected. Here’s what studies show about the benefits of the COVID vaccine: 

• The updated COVID vaccine provides a strong immune response against the latest COVID variants. Getting the vaccine makes it less likely that you’ll need to be hospitalized or see a healthcare professional if you get COVID after vaccination.

• If you get a COVID infection after vaccination, you’re more likely to be able to recover at home. 

• Vaccination is still the best tool to prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID infection.

• The COVID vaccine may lower severity and duration of long COVID.

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Written by:

Alice Perlowski, MD, MA, FACC

Dr. Alice Perlowski is a board-certified cardiologist and fellow of the American College of Cardiology. She has seen patients and supervised trainees in the academic and private sector, with focuses in interventional cardiology, vascular medicine, preventative cardiology, and women’s heart health.

Edited by:

Karla Robinson, MD

Karla Robinson, MD, is a medical editor for GoodRx. She is a licensed, board-certified family physician with almost 20 years of experience in health through varied clinical, administrative, and educational roles.

Reviewed by:

Farzon A. Nahvi, MD

Farzon Nahvi, MD, is an emergency medicine physician and author of “Code Gray: Death, Life, and Uncertainty in the ER.” He works at Concord Hospital in Concord, New Hampshire, and teaches at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth.

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