Key takeaways:
Pfizer (Comirnaty), Moderna (Spikevax, mNEXSPIKE), and Novavax (Nuvaxovid) COVID-19 vaccines are available for use. They’re safe and can help prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID.
The CDC is taking a more personalized approach to COVID vaccination for the 2025-2026 season. You can talk to a healthcare professional to decide what’s best for you. Vaccination remains a safe and effective way to protect yourself — especially if you’re at higher risk for severe illness — but they can help you weigh your individual risks and benefits.
After vaccination, you may experience side effects, such as headache, injection site pain, and muscle aches, but these are typically mild and go away after a few days.
Save on related medications
Four COVID-19 vaccines are available for use in the U.S. They’re made by Pfizer (Comirnaty), Moderna (Spikevax, mNEXSPIKE), and Novavax (Nuvaxovid). They’re helpful tools for preventing severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID. The Johnson & Johnson COVID vaccine is no longer authorized for use.
As the virus that causes COVID continues to spread and mutate (change), the best way to protect yourself and those around you is to get vaccinated. And if you have questions or concerns about the COVID vaccines, it’s important that you get the facts to help you make the best decision.
Below, we answer some of the commonly asked questions about the COVID vaccines.
Search and compare options
Browse by vaccine or pharmacy
Browse by vaccine brand:
Which COVID vaccines are available?
There are four COVID vaccines to choose from for the 2025-2026 season. Spikevax is available for people ages 6 months and older, while Comirnaty is an option for people as young as 5 years old. Nuvaxovid and mNEXSPIKE are available for those ages 12 and older.
Comirnaty, Spikevax, and mNEXSPIKE are mRNA vaccines, while Nuvaxovid is a protein subunit vaccine.
Where can I get a COVID vaccination?
You can get COVID vaccines at locations that usually offer flu vaccinations, such as a local pharmacy, doctor’s office, or health clinic.
If you have a preferred brand, you can check availability right on the manufacturer’s website. Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax all have online search tools that let you look up nearby locations by ZIP code and filter by vaccine type or age group. These tools often include links to schedule an appointment or see what’s in stock before you head out.
Navigating COVID vaccine updates: As the coronavirus evolves, so do the vaccines. Get the latest updates on COVID vaccine authorizations and approvals.
How well do the vaccines work? As new variants emerge, can the COVID vaccines still protect you? Explore the latest information on COVID vaccine effectiveness.
How they compare: Multiple COVID vaccines are available in the U.S. But is one better than the other for your seasonal shot?
What’s more, many local health departments and pharmacies are coordinating COVID vaccination efforts with long-term care facilities, such as assisted living centers and nursing homes.
How much do the vaccines cost? Will insurance cover it?
As of right now, COVID vaccines are free for many people in the U.S. Most insurance plans cover them at no added cost to you.
The government program that offered free COVID vaccines to uninsured adults ended in August 2024. But if you don’t have health insurance or are underinsured, you may still be able to receive a free COVID vaccine. You may be able to get one from a HRSA-funded health center or a local healthcare clinic in your area.
Read more like this
Explore these related articles, suggested for readers like you.
Eligible children can continue to get free vaccines through the Vaccines for Children program.
For context, without any discounts or insurance coverage, these are the average retail prices of COVID vaccines:
Who can receive a COVID vaccine?
The CDC’s COVID vaccine guidance for the 2025-2026 season emphasizes an individualized approach. Meaning, getting a COVID vaccine is a personal decision best made in partnership with a healthcare professional (like a pharmacist, physician, or nurse).
During this conversation, you can talk through your individual risk for severe illness, the benefits of vaccination, and any side effect concerns. Generally speaking, the benefits of vaccination are highest for adults ages 65 and older and people ages 6 months to 64 years old who are at higher risk for severe COVID.
That said, regardless of your personal risk level, anyone who’s eligible for a COVID vaccine can choose to get one if they want to. Several medical organizations, such as the American Academy of Family Physicians and American Academy of Pediatrics, support broader vaccination efforts — similar to years past.
If you haven’t received a 2025-2026 COVID vaccine yet, talk to your healthcare team about your eligibility and options. COVID vaccine eligibility is discussed in depth in another GoodRx Health article.
Quiz: Can I get a COVID-19 vaccine?
How effective are COVID vaccines?
To measure how well COVID vaccines work, health experts compare the number of infections and symptomatic cases in a vaccinated group to those in an unvaccinated group. They use a similar strategy when analyzing hospitalizations and death rates.
In initial studies, original versions of all three vaccines were highly effective at preventing symptomatic COVID. For instance, the Pfizer vaccine was about 95% effective against symptomatic COVID when it first hit the market. The Moderna (Spikevax) and Novavax vaccines were about 94% effective and 90% effective against symptomatic COVID, respectively.
For comparison, the seasonal flu vaccine is about 40% to 60% effective at preventing infection. This varies based on the specific strains each year. Other vaccines are more effective, such as measles (97%) and chickenpox (92%).
In terms of effectiveness in the “real world,” studies are ongoing. As the SARS-CoV-2 virus continues to mutate (change), COVID vaccine effectiveness is a moving target. And the FDA is making it a priority to study the effectiveness of repeat doses in the near future. They want to do so through randomized controlled trials.
Even so, many studies prove that the vaccines are a valuable tool in preventing serious illness and death from COVID.
What are the potential side effects of COVID vaccines?
Side effects are a normal part of how your immune system responds to a vaccine. Most COVID vaccine side effects are mild to moderate in severity and only last for a few days. Common side effects include:
Pain, swelling, or redness where the shot was given
Headache
Muscle aches
Fatigue (feeling tired)
Nausea
Fever or chills
Although they’re rare, severe side effects can happen too. They include:
Severe allergic reactions (anaphylaxis): The CDC provides recommendations for people with allergies to vaccine ingredients. You can also ask a healthcare professional to help you decide which vaccine is best for you.
Myocarditis or pericarditis: These conditions occur when the heart muscle or lining become inflamed. While rare, they have been reported among some people — primarily young men — who received a COVID vaccine. It’s important to note that COVID itself can also cause myocarditis and pericarditis.
The bottom line
Vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself against COVID-19 infection and its complications. Side effects are usually mild and last only a short time. Pfizer (Comirnaty), Moderna (Spikevax, mNEXSPIKE), and Novavax (Nuvaxovid) COVID vaccines are all available and have been shown to be safe and effective. You can get them at local pharmacies, doctor’s offices, and health clinics.
For the 2025-2026 season, the CDC is taking a more individualized approach to vaccination. That means you can decide with a healthcare professional whether getting a COVID vaccine is right for you. Even if your risk for severe illness is low, you can still choose to get vaccinated for added protection. A trusted pharmacist, physician, or nurse can help you weigh your personal risks and benefits and figure out the best timing for your next dose.
When looking for COVID vaccine information, it’s important you get the facts from the experts. Follow GoodRx for the latest information about the COVID vaccines.
Why trust our experts?
References
American Academy of Family Physicians. (2025). Fall 2025-26 immunization recommendations.
American Academy of Pediatrics. (2025). Recommendations for COVID-19 vaccines in infants, children, and adolescents: Policy statement. Pediatrics.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). About the varicella vaccines.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). About measles.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Benefits of the flu vaccine.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). About the vaccines for children (VFC) program.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025). Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine safety.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025). Getting your COVID-19 vaccine.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025). Staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccines.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025). Underlying conditions and the higher risk for severe COVID-19.
Ernst, D. (2025). Moderna’s 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccines get FDA approval. Vaccine Advisor.
Kekatos, M., et al. (2024). What the end of the CDC's COVID vaccine access program means for uninsured Americans. ABC News.
Novavax. (2025). U.S. FDA approves BLA for Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine.
Prasad, V., et al. (2025). An evidence-based approach to COVID-19 vaccination. New England Journal of Medicine.
The Aesthetic Society. (2020). FDA takes additional action in fight against COVID-19 by issuing emergency use authorization for second COVID-19 vaccine.
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. (2025). CDC immunization schedule adopts individual-based decision-making for COVID-19 and standalone vaccination for chickenpox in toddlers.
