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

Written by Alice Perlowski, MD, MA, FACC | Reviewed by Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP

Updated on November 25, 2024

Key takeaways:

The CDC recommends that everyone over 6 months old get the updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine — even people who had a breakthrough case of COVID.
But wait to get the new vaccine if you have active symptoms of a COVID infection. You can get the updated shot after your symptoms improve and you no longer need to be isolated.
The updated vaccine may be more effective if you wait 3 months from the start of your last COVID infection to get the shot.

Young boy getting a COVID-19 shot with his mother by his side. — Renata Angerami/iStock via Getty Images

Seasonal spikes in COVID have become the new normal. To help protect people from the latest COVID strains, the updated 2024-2025 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 that would simply increase the immunity from a previous vaccine. The Moderna and Pfizer vaccines are formulated to target KP.2, an omicron subvariant. The Novavax vaccine targets JN.1.

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?

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

The CDC recommends waiting 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.

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.

The CDC doesn’t provide a recommendation for the exact best time after infection to get the vaccine. But it says that 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.

EXPERT PICKS: WHAT TO READ NEXT

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Combining COVID and flu vaccination: Some people find it convenient to get their COVID and flu shots at the same time. Here’s what to expect.
COVID vaccine side effects: Most COVID vaccine side effects are mild and brief. Here’s what to expect and how to manage them.

The CDC recommends that 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 your doctor’s office to decide what’s best for you.

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. Researchers are still trying to figure out when you get peak immunity.

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 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.

Who needs an updated COVID shot this season?

The CDC recommends that everyone 6 months old and older get the updated 2024-2025 COVID vaccine. The number of doses you need and the timing depends on a couple of things. Let’s take a closer look.

Everyone ages 5 years old and up

If you had an earlier version of the COVID vaccine, get 1 updated COVID Moderna or Pfizer vaccine at least 2 months (8 weeks) after your last COVID shot. If you’ve never been vaccinated, you just need 1 dose of the Moderna or Pfizer 2024-2025 updated vaccine.

The Novavax vaccine is available for people 12 years of age and older. If you haven’t had a COVID vaccine before the 2024-2025 season, you’ll need 2 doses, at least 3 to 8 weeks apart. If you’ve had any previous COVID vaccines, you just need 1 dose of the updated vaccine.

The CDC updated its guidance for older adults and people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised. They recommend that these people get a second dose of the updated vaccine 6 months after their first shot.

Children ages 6 months to 4 years old

The number of doses young children need depends on which brand they get and whether they were previously vaccinated.

Unvaccinated children ages 6 months to 4 years old

Here are the recommendations:

Moderna: Young children need to get 2 doses of the updated Moderna vaccine. They can get the second dose 4 to 8 weeks after the first.
Pfizer: Young children need to get 3 doses of the updated Pfizer vaccine. The second dose is 3 to 8 weeks after the first. The third dose is 8 weeks after the second.

Children ages 6 months to 4 years old who got 1 previous COVID vaccine

Here are the recommendations:

Moderna: Young children who got 1 previous Moderna COVID vaccine should get 1 updated Moderna vaccine 4 to 8 weeks after the last dose.
Pfizer: Young children who got 1 previous Pfizer COVID vaccine should get 2 updated Pfizer vaccines. The second dose is 3 to 8 weeks after the first. The third dose is 8 weeks after the second.

Children ages 6 months to 4 years old who got 2 or more previous COVID vaccines

Here are the recommendations:

Moderna: Young children who got 2 or more previous Moderna COVID vaccines should get 1 updated Moderna vaccine 8 weeks after the last dose.
Pfizer: Young children who got 2 or more previous Pfizer COVID vaccines should get 1 updated Pfizer vaccine 8 weeks after the last dose.

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:

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.

The bottom line

The 2024-2025 COVID vaccine targets the latest COVID variants. Everyone 6 months old and older should get the updated shot. The timing and the number of doses depends on your age and how many COVID shots you’ve had in the past. But many people who want to get the updated COVID vaccine may also have symptoms of or test positive for COVID. If that’s the case for you, you can delay your COVID shot by a few weeks to a few months.

Even if you’ve had COVID already, you should still get your updated vaccine once it’s safe for you to do so. That’s because vaccinations continue to train your immune system to protect you against severe disease from COVID and long COVID. Getting vaccinated also helps protect others in your community.

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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:

Alex Eastman, PhD, RN

Alex Eastman, PhD, RN, is a California-based registered nurse and staff medical editor at GoodRx, where he focuses on clinical updates and Latino health.

Reviewed by:

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP

Karen Hovav, MD, FAAP, has more than 15 years of experience as an attending pediatrician in a variety of clinical settings. She has worked in a large academic center in an urban city, a small community hospital, a private practice, and an urgent care clinic.