New COVID-19 Vaccination Campaign Starts April 20: Are You Eligible?
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has established the 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccination guidelines, recommending the vaccine for individuals aged 6 months and older.
- Under these guidelines, the specific vaccine recommended and the number of doses required are determined by the individual's age and their previous vaccination history.
- For adults aged 65 years and older, COVID-19 vaccination is recommended based on shared clinical decision-making.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has established the 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccination guidelines, recommending the vaccine for individuals aged 6 months and older. This updated guidance shifts toward a model of individual-based decision-making, also referred to as shared clinical decision-making, where the decision to vaccinate is made through consultation between a patient and a healthcare provider.
Under these guidelines, the specific vaccine recommended and the number of doses required are determined by the individual’s age and their previous vaccination history. The CDC emphasizes that the risk-benefit profile of the vaccination is most favorable for those at an increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease and lowest for those who do not have such increased risks.
Eligibility and Risk Factors
For adults aged 65 years and older, COVID-19 vaccination is recommended based on shared clinical decision-making. For those between the ages of 6 months and 64 years, the recommendation remains based on individual decision-making, with a specific focus on those at higher risk.
Individuals can self-attest to factors that increase their risk for severe COVID-19 to receive the vaccination. Beyond the general CDC list of risk factors, specific populations are identified as being at an increased risk for SARS-CoV-2 infection, including:
- Healthcare workers
- Residents of long-term care facilities
- Employees in long-term care facilities
- Individuals in other residential congregate settings
the Moderna (Spikevax) package insert notes that prematurity, defined as birth at less than 37 weeks gestational age, has been associated with COVID-19-related hospitalizations in children between 6 and 23 months of age.
Vaccine Availability and Restrictions
The updated 2025-2026 vaccines were approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in September for people over 65 and those with underlying conditions that increase the risk of severe disease. While the CDC’s subsequent guidelines expanded eligibility to anyone over 6 months old following a conversation with a provider, some experts suggest this additional step may act as a barrier to access.
Notice also specific restrictions regarding vaccine brands for young children. For children aged 6 months to 4 years, only the Moderna (Spikevax) COVID-19 vaccine is approved for use; the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine is no longer authorized for this specific age group.
Public Health Context and Divergent Guidance
The shift in federal recommendations follows changes in CDC leadership and the membership of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), occurring under Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy.
These federal guidelines differ from those of some professional medical organizations. The American Academy of Family Physicians has issued its own guidance, recommending that all adults, children, and pregnant women receive the vaccine, diverging from the CDC’s emphasis on individual-based decision-making for those under 65.
For those who are moderately or severely immunocompromised, the CDC provides a specific vaccination schedule to address their unique risk profiles.