The Department of Public Health (DPH) released the 2025–2026 COVID-19 vaccine recommendations that align with those of the Northeast Public Health Collaborative and leading physician professional organizations. DPH is committed to providing resourced, evidence-based recommendations to guide the use of vaccines to protect our communities and is working with scientists and physicians across the northeast region to collaboratively develop recommendations for the use of the 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccines.
Adults:
- Adults ages 65 years and older should receive two doses of a 2025-2026 vaccine COVID-19 vaccine, with the second dose administered 6 months after the first.
- Adults 19 to 64 years of age with medical conditions associated with higher risk of severe COVID-19 and those whose household contacts are at higher risk for severe COVID-19 should receive one dose of a 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccine.
- Healthy adults 19 to 64 years of age may receive one dose of a 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccine.
Special populations
- People with moderate to severe immunocompromise should receive two doses of a 2025-2026 vaccine COVID-19 vaccine with the second dose administered 6 months after the first.
- People with moderate to severe immunocompromise may receive additional doses of 2025–2026 COVID-19 vaccine (i.e., a total of ≥3 doses of 2025–2026 COVID-19 vaccine) at a minimum interval of 2 months.
- People who are pregnant, contemplating pregnancy, have recently been pregnant or who are lactating should receive one dose of a 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccine.
- All healthcare workers should receive one dose of a 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccine, independent of age or underlying medical conditions.
Children and adolescents:
- All children 6-23 months of age should receive age appropriate 2025-2026 Those who are unvaccinated or did not complete a primary vaccination series should complete their initial vaccine series.
- Those who have completed a primary vaccination series should receive a single dose of 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccine. This dose should be administered at least 8 weeks after the last dose was received.
- Children and adolescents age 2 to 18 years of age with medical conditions associated with higher risk of severe COVID-19 and those whose household contacts are at higher risk for severe COVID-19 should receive one dose of an age appropriate 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccination.
- Children and adolescents 2 to 18 years of age who are residents of long-term care facilities or other congregate settings should receive one dose of an age appropriate 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccination.
- Healthy children and adolescents 2 to18 years of age who have never been vaccinated against COVID-19 should receive one dose of an age appropriate 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccination.
- Healthy children and adolescents 2 to 18 years of age, who do not fall into the categories above, may receive one dose of an age appropriate 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccination.