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An important part of aging well is protecting ourselves from infectious disease—like COVID-19. Older adults continue to be at greater risk for severe COVID illness, hospitalization, and death due to weakening immunity that occurs over time. This is why getting your updated COVID vaccine is so important if you’re 65 or older or in another high-risk group.
What are the latest CDC guidelines for COVID vaccines?
To guard against serious illness, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends one dose of the 2024-2025 COVID vaccine for everyone age 18 and older.
Getting your COVID vaccine is especially important if you:
- Are 65 or older
- Have health conditions that raise your risk, like cancer, heart disease, or diabetes
- Have never had a COVID shot at all
- Are living in a long-term care facility
- Want to reduce your risk of getting long COVID
According to the latest data from the CDC COVID data tracker, the most common circulating COVID variants as of June 2025 are NB.1.8.1 and LP.8.1. For the 2025-2026 season, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has recommended a monovalent COVID vaccine targeting the LP.8.1 strain. Development of this updated vaccine is currently underway, and it’s expected to be available in the fall of 2025.
What COVID vaccines are currently available?
There are three COVID vaccines available and recommended in the U.S.:
- 2024–2025 Moderna COVID-19 vaccine
- 2024–2025 Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine
- 2024–2025 Novavax COVID-19 vaccine
The vaccine you receive at your doctor's office, pharmacy, or vaccine clinic will depend on what they each purchase. It may differ from location to location. But your vaccine provider will always tell you what vaccine you are receiving and may offer the opportunity to tell them your preference beforehand.
Are the updated COVID vaccines safe for older adults?
Yes. All COVID vaccines have gone through the FDA’s rigorous approval process, with safety tested in tens of thousands of people. Ongoing data continues to confirm their safety and effectiveness.
After your COVID shot, you may notice mild, temporary side effects—such as arm pain, fever, tiredness, headache, or muscle aches. These are signs your body is building protection and should go away in one to three days. If you have a history of severe allergies, talk to your doctor before getting vaccinated.
How long does protection from the COVID vaccine last?
Your immunity to COVID should improve within about two weeks after getting the vaccine. While this won't provide 100% protection from getting the virus, it should help reduce the severity and duration of symptoms if you do become ill. Boosted immunity from the COVID vaccine is typically strongest during the first few months.
Can I wait to get my updated COVID vaccine?
In the weeks and months following a COVID infection, your risk of getting COVID is lower. If you’ve recently been infected, you may think about delaying your vaccine dose for three months after your symptoms began or after receiving a positive COVID test with no physical symptoms.
If you or a person in your household has a high risk for severe COVID disease, or if COVID cases are high in your community, you might not want to delay getting an updated shot—even if you’ve recently been infected.
If you have multi-system inflammatory syndrome (MIS) or a history of MIS, talk to your health care provider about whether you should receive your updated COVID vaccination.
Your doctor can advise you on the best timing for your COVID vaccine, especially if you just received a COVID shot, you recently had a COVID infection, or you are immunocompromised.
Where to get your COVID vaccine
You can typically get vaccines at your doctor’s office or at your local pharmacy. What’s more, many senior centers, local public health departments, and other community-based organizations may hold vaccine clinics during respiratory virus season. Visit the CDC website for help finding a convenient location to get your COVID and/or flu vaccine.
Are you or someone you know living with a disability? Find COVID vaccine support by calling the Disability Information and Access Line at 1-888-677-1199 or emailing DIAL@n4a.org.
If you have Medicare, it should cost you nothing to get your COVID shot.
“The good news is the law mandates that Medicare and Medicaid cover COVID and flu vaccines as well as other vaccines at no out-of-pocket costs for older adults,” said Kathleen Cameron, a pharmacist and former Senior Director of the NCOA Center for Healthy Aging.
Vaccines can protect against long COVID
Some people who have been infected with SARS-CoV-2 (the virus that causes COVID) can experience long-term effects from their infection, known as long COVID or post-COVID conditions (PCC). Long COVID is broadly defined as signs, symptoms, and conditions that continue or develop after acute COVID infection. These issues can last for weeks, months, or even years.
Research suggests that people who get a COVID infection after vaccination are less likely to report long COVID, compared to people who are unvaccinated.1 That’s another great reason to get vaccinated.
Help spread the word: the COVID vaccine saves lives
There’s so much we can do to protect ourselves against the virus—including washing our hands frequently and staying-up to date on our vaccines. You can also choose to wear a well-fitting mask in public spaces to decrease your risk of contracting a respiratory illness.
Talk with your doctor about ways to reduce your COVID risk. And consider getting your updated vaccine as soon as possible. Today’s vaccines are rigorously tested to ensure they’re safe and effective—and they save lives!
“COVID continues to pose a threat to older Americans,” says Josh Hodges, NCOA’s Chief Customer Officer. “Keeping up to date with your vaccines is an easy yet powerful way to protect yourself, your family, and your community.”
Source
1. Alexandra R Marra, et al. The effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccine in the prevention of post-COVID conditions: a systematic literature review and meta-analysis of the latest research. Antimicrobial Stewardship & Healthcare Epidemiology. Oct.13, 2023. Found on the internet at https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/antimicrobial-stewardship-and-healthcare-epidemiology/article/effectiveness-of-covid19-vaccine-in-the-prevention-of-postcovid-conditions-a-systematic-literature-review-and-metaanalysis-of-the-latest-research/A0B115B5D3AA60846799857B801D116E
