What to Know About COVID Vaccines
Key takeaways:
The best way to protect yourself and those around you from COVID-19 is by getting vaccinated. But COVID vaccine recommendations can change over time, so ask a healthcare professional about when you should receive your next dose.
Updated 2024-2025 Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax COVID vaccines are now available for use. They’re safe and can help prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death from COVID. The number of doses you’ll need depends on your age, health background, and vaccination history.
Adults age 65 and older — in addition to younger people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised — can receive a second 2024-2025 COVID vaccine 6 months after their first one. The CDC made this recommendation in October 2024.
After vaccination, you may experience side effects — like headache, injection site pain, and muscle aches — but these are typically mild and go away after a few days.
Table of contents
Currently, three COVID-19 vaccines are available for use in the U.S. — Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax. 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.
SHINGRIX (Zoster Vaccine Recombinant, Adjuvanted) is now $0 for almost everyone*
Get SHINGRIX at the pharmacy or in-network doctor’s office today. 98% of privately insured people pay $0 and all Medicare Part D beneficiaries pay $0 at the pharmacy.
Prescribing Information
*Coverage and cost may vary and are subject to change without notice. Reimbursement decisions are made by individual insurance plans.
SHINGRIX is an FDA-approved vaccine for the prevention of shingles (herpes zoster) in adults 50 years and older. SHINGRIX is not used to prevent chickenpox.
• You should not receive SHINGRIX if you are allergic to any of its ingredients or had an allergic reaction to a previous dose of SHINGRIX
• An increased risk of Guillain-Barré syndrome (severe muscle weakness) was observed after vaccination with SHINGRIX
• Fainting can happen after getting injectable vaccines, including SHINGRIX. Precautions should be taken to avoid falling and injury due to fainting
• The most common side effects are pain, redness, and swelling at the injection site, muscle pain, tiredness, headache, shivering, fever, and upset stomach
• SHINGRIX was not studied in pregnant or nursing women. Tell your healthcare provider if you are pregnant, plan to become pregnant, or are breastfeeding
• Vaccination with SHINGRIX may not protect all individuals
• Ask your healthcare provider about the risks and benefits of SHINGRIX. Only a healthcare provider can decide if SHINGRIX is right for you
You are encouraged to report vaccine adverse events to the US Department of Health and Human Services. Visit www.vaers.hhs.gov to file a report, or call 1-800-822-7967.
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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. You can use the CDC-sponsored Vaccines.gov tool to identify specific locations near you. You can perform a broad search or filter by age range and preferred vaccine.
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?
COVID vaccines are free for many people in the U.S. Most insurance plans will cover them at no added cost to you.
If you don’t have health insurance or are underinsured, you may still be able to receive a free COVID vaccine. Federally qualified health centers and local healthcare professionals in your area are good starting points to look into.
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: Three COVID vaccines are available in the U.S. But is one better than the other for your seasonal shot?
Keep in mind that the government program that offered free COVID vaccines to uninsured adults ended in August 2024. But another proposed federal program may take its place. And certain states — such as California, New York, and Florida — offer their own vaccine programs for uninsured and underinsured adults.
Eligible children can continue to get free vaccines through the Vaccines for Children program.
Who can receive a COVID vaccine?
Adults and kids age 6 months and older are eligible to receive KP.2-focused Pfizer and Moderna COVID vaccines. These updated vaccines replaced the XBB-focused vaccines that were authorized in September 2023. An updated, JN.1-focused Novavax vaccine is authorized for people age 12 and older.
Keep in mind: Vaccine recommendations can be confusing. For more personalized information, make sure to ask a healthcare professional.
Information for the 2024-2025 season
The FDA and CDC updated their COVID vaccine recommendations in mid-2024. They did this in advance of the 2024-2025 respiratory illness season.
Everyone age 6 months and older can receive at least one dose of an updated 2024-2025 Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. The 2024-2025 Novavax vaccine is another option for people age 12 and older.
There are a few caveats, though, that vary by age group:
Kids age 6 months through 4 years old can receive one or more updated 2024-2025 vaccine doses. But the specific number of doses they’ll need — and when they should receive them — will depend on their vaccination history.
People age 5 years and older can receive one updated Pfizer or Moderna dose if it’s been at least 2 months since your last COVID vaccine. This is regardless of how many doses you’ve received in the past, or if you’ve ever received a COVID vaccine at all.
If you’re at least 12 years old and have been previously vaccinated for COVID, one Novavax dose is sufficient. However, if you’ve never received a COVID vaccine before, you should receive two 2024-2025 Novavax doses, spaced apart by 3 weeks.
Adults age 65 and older are eligible to receive a second dose of a 2024-2025 COVID vaccine. You can receive it 6 months after your first dose for ongoing protection. This is also true for younger people who are considered moderately or severely immunocompromised.
If you recently tested positive for COVID, you should still get vaccinated. But there's no big rush to do so. Since COVID can provide short-term immunity, it's OK to wait 3 months before getting your vaccine. This waiting period begins from the time your symptoms first appeared or from the date of your first positive test.
How effective are the 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 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. For example, it dropped slightly against Omicron when compared with protection against Delta. And effectiveness is continuing to fluctuate as newer Omicron subvariants circulate, including KP.3.1.1, KP.2, JN.1, and more.
Even so, studies prove that the vaccines are a valuable tool in preventing serious illness and death from COVID, especially in those who have received vaccine boosters or additional doses.
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 — receiving the Pfizer, Moderna, or Novavax COVID vaccines. It’s important to note that COVID itself can also cause myocarditis and pericarditis.
The bottom line
Updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccines are approved and authorized for use in the U.S. for people age 6 months and older. Vaccination remains the best way to protect yourself against COVID infection and its complications. It also helps slow the spread of the virus and protect vulnerable people in your community who can’t get the vaccine. Side effects are usually mild and last only a short time.
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
Buchan, S. A., et al. (2022). Estimated effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines against omicron or delta symptomatic infection and severe outcomes.
California Department of Public Health, Immunization Branch. (n.d.). California Vaccines for Adults program/317.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2021). About the Varicella vaccines.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2023). HHS launches Bridge Access Program to safeguard free COVID-19 vaccinations for uninsured and underinsured adults.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). About measles.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). About the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Benefits of the flu vaccine.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). CDC recommends second dose of 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine for people 65 years and older and for people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). CDC recommends updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 and flu vaccines for fall/winter virus season.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine safety.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). COVID data tracker: Variant proportions.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2024). Getting your COVID-19 vaccine.
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Kekatos, M. (2024). What the end of the CDC's COVID vaccine access program means for uninsured Americans. ABC News.
New York State Department of Health. (2024). New York State Vaccines for Adults program.
U.S. Food and Drug Administration. (2020). FDA takes additional action in fight against COVID-19 by issuing emergency use authorization for second COVID-19 vaccine.
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