Everyone 6 months and older should get the updated COVID-19 vaccine.

Learn more about vaccines for COVID-19.

Yes, you can choose which COVID-19 vaccine to get.

Learn more about the vaccines that are available.

Yes, you should get a COVID-19 vaccine even if you already had COVID-19.

Getting a COVID-19 vaccine after you recover from COVID-19 infection provides added protection against COVID-19. You may consider delaying your vaccine by 3 months.

However, certain factors could be reasons to get a vaccine sooner rather than later, such as: personal risk of severe disease, risk of disease in a loved one or close contact, local COVID-19 hospital admission level, and the most common COVID-19 variant currently causing illness.

People who already had COVID-19 and do not get vaccinated after their recovery are more likely to get COVID-19 again than those who get vaccinated after their recovery.

Learn more about the benefits of getting a COVID-19 vaccine.

COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. Hundreds of millions of people in the United States have received COVID-19 vaccines.

Although COVID-19 vaccines were developed quickly, research and development on vaccines like these has been underway for decades. All vaccine development steps were taken to ensure COVID-19 vaccine safety and effectiveness, including:

Clinical Trials – All vaccines in the United States must go through three phases of clinical trials to ensure they are safe and effective. The phases overlapped to speed up the process, but all phases were completed.

Authorization or Approval – Before vaccines are available to people, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reviews data from clinical trials. FDA has determined COVID-19 vaccines meet FDA’s standards and has granted those vaccines Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) or full FDA approval.

Tracking Safety Using Vaccine Monitoring Systems – Like every other vaccine approved for use in the United States, COVID-19 vaccines continue to be monitored for safety and effectiveness. Hundreds of millions of people in the United States have safely received COVID-19 vaccines. CDC and FDA continue to provide updated information on the safety of U.S. authorized or approved COVID-19 vaccines using data from the Vaccine Safety Datalink (VSD), Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS), and other safety monitoring systems.

Learn more about developing COVID-19 vaccines.

COVID-19 vaccines are working well  to prevent severe illness, hospitalization, and death. Compared to people who are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations, unvaccinated people are more likely to get COVID-19, much more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19, and much more likely to die from COVID-19.

Learn more about staying up to date with COVID-19 vaccines.

Yes, studies conducted throughout the COVID-19 pandemic indicate that it is safe to get both a COVID-19 vaccine and a flu vaccine at the same visit.

Learn more about Getting a Flu Vaccine and a COVID-19 Vaccine at the Same Time.

Annual flu vaccination is recommended for everyone 6 months and older.

Learn more about the Seasonal Flu Vaccine.

It’s best to be vaccinated before flu begins spreading in your community. September and October are generally good times to be vaccinated against flu. Even if you are not able to get vaccinated until later in the season, vaccination is still recommended because flu most commonly peaks in February and significant activity can continue into May.

Learn more about the Seasonal Flu Vaccine.

Yes. Wearing a mask and avoiding crowds and others who are sick can help protect you and others from respiratory viruses, like flu and the virus that causes COVID-19. However, the best way to reduce your risk of flu illness and its potentially serious complications is for everyone 6 months and older to get a flu vaccine each year. By getting a flu vaccine, you may also be protecting people around you who are more vulnerable to serious flu complications.

Learn more about the Seasonal Flu Vaccine.

Yes, it is possible to get sick with more than one respiratory virus at the same time. This includes being sick with flu and COVID-19 at the same time. It is also possible to be sick with multiple flu viruses, like influenza A and B, at the same time.

Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) is a common respiratory virus that usually causes mild, cold-like symptoms. However, it can be dangerous for babies, toddlers, and older adults.

RSV season generally starts during fall and peaks in the winter.

CDC recommends the RSV vaccine to protect those most at risk of getting very sick with RSV: infants, toddlers, and adults 60 years and older.

RSV vaccines re recommended only for these groups:

Adults ages 60 and older: Two RSV vaccines (GSK Arexvy and Pfizer Abrysvo) have been licensed by FDA and recommended by CDC for adults ages 60 and older, using shared clinical decision-making.

Pregnant women: One RSV vaccine (Pfizer Abrysvo) has been licensed and recommended during weeks 32 through 36 of pregnancy to protect infants.

Infants and some young children: An RSV preventive antibody has been licensed and recommended for infants and some young children.

Learn more about RSV Prevention.