# When should I get my next Covid Vaccination? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Quarantine Zone\ **Tags:** covid-quarantine\ **Created:** [September 17, 2023, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-i-get-my-next-covid-vaccination/990285 "2023-09-17T23:41:33Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 7
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2025, 4:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-i-get-my-next-covid-vaccination/990285/122 "2025-03-28T04:14:03Z")
> [@PastTense](#): > > So there is no updated booster, but the high risk groups should have another shot of what they had in the fall–or what? It is recommended that 65 year olds and older get a second booster of the same vaccine they got last fall. From [cdc.gov](http://cdc.gov): … People ages 65 years and older You are up to date when you have received: - 2 doses of any 2024–2025 COVID-19 vaccine 6 months apart. - While it is the _recommended_ to get 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine doses 6 months apart, the _minimum_ time is 2 months apart, which allows flexibility to get the second dose prior to typical COVID-19 surges, travel, life events, and healthcare visits - I have found that my pharmacist is an invaluable resource to answer vaccine questions. It’s why they go to school all those years and it is a lot of years. ---
**Author:** ![Eric1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/3bc359/32.png) [@Eric1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eric1)\ **Post date:** [April 29, 2025, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-i-get-my-next-covid-vaccination/990285/123 "2025-04-29T21:38:56Z")
I’m planning to get a booster this October. I’ve seen news stories from the CDC wherein they’re planning to raise the recommendations to only older adults. Since I’ll be only 49 and don’t have underlying conditions, I assume that means I’ll be paying cash. I’ve read the price last year was about $250 so decided to delegate savings although it’s a big sacrifice. ---
**Author:** ![PastTense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pasttense/32/14550_2.png) [@PastTense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PastTense)\ **Post date:** [April 30, 2025, 2:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-i-get-my-next-covid-vaccination/990285/124 "2025-04-30T02:11:23Z")
It looks like the situation with covid boosters is going to get worse because of Trump’s FDA: > Confusion over the Food and Drug Administration’s delay in granting full approval to Novavax’s Covid-19 vaccine deepened over the weekend when the agency’s commissioner, Marty Makary, took to social media to defend the FDA’s controversial handling of the company’s submission. > > In the process, Makary and a spokesman for the Department of Health and Human Services appeared to raise the specter that, going forward, manufacturers of Covid vaccines might have to generate new effectiveness data before the release of annual updates of their vaccines — a hurdle they would be unlikely to clear to vaccinate people in time to protect them when Covid transmission is occurring. > > “ **Since the season is only X number of weeks long, by the time they could get vaccine approved with early season studies, it would be too late … to get vaccine out. It makes no sense at al** l,” said Michael Osterholm, director of the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy. > **[U.S. health officials inject new uncertainty into approval process for Covid...](https://www.statnews.com/2025/04/27/fda-covid-vaccine-approval-process-novavax-pfizer-moderna/)** > > Confusion over the FDA delay in granting full approval to Novavax’s Covid-19 vaccine deepened over the weekend, with possible implications for Pfizer and Moderna. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2025, 1:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-i-get-my-next-covid-vaccination/990285/125 "2025-08-31T01:50:49Z")
I am hoping to get a Covid vaccine before mid September but there seems to be a lot of confusion. I’ve heard that some pharmacies in Pennsylvania will not administer without a prescription once they even have a supply. I can’t figure out if the prescription dictate applies to people over 65 such as myself. I shouldn’t have a problem getting an Rx but don’t know if I need to go to all the trouble to get one. I am waiting for the local Walmart pharmacy to update or try the only other family owned pharmacy in town. Seems like a bit of a circus at the moment. I’ve had Covid twice even with all of the vaccines and have been left with serious life long complications. I am traveling to Seattle from Pittsburgh September 23rd. Will definitely be wearing good masks but just hoping I can also get a vaccine ahead of the journey. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2025, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-i-get-my-next-covid-vaccination/990285/126 "2025-08-31T02:07:31Z")
> [@Ellecram](#): > > I am hoping to get a Covid vaccine before mid September but there seems to be a lot of confusion. I’ve read that getting them directly from a doctor’s office might be the safest way to go. Maybe give your doctor’s office a call and see. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2025, 3:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-i-get-my-next-covid-vaccination/990285/127 "2025-08-31T03:54:56Z")
Yes I think I will try that but they typically only have the flu shots. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2025, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-i-get-my-next-covid-vaccination/990285/128 "2025-08-31T05:01:59Z")
> [@Ellecram](#): > > I’ve heard that some pharmacies in Pennsylvania will not administer without a prescription once they even have a supply. > I can’t figure out if the prescription dictate applies to people over 65 such as myself. I shouldn’t have a problem getting an Rx but don’t know if I need to go to all the trouble to get one. Here’s a very good update in the latest Covid vaccine. It’s long but worth reading through to the end. > **[Skip the Confusion: A Guide to Fall Vaccines](https://www.webmd.com/vaccines/news/20250828/skip-the-confusion-a-guide-to-fall-vaccines)** > > Fall vaccine season is here, along with fresh confusion on who needs which vaccine, and when. It doesn’t have to be that way: Here’s your fall vaccine guide – without the noise. For us old geezers (65+), not much will be different once the newest version works its way through the distribution pipeline and gets to your pharmacy. Of course tomfoolery afoot at the FDA and the CDC has made a lot of it janky, deliberately confusing and thrown a wrench in the works for some states, making it lower liability for pharmacies in those 18 or so states to want a dr’s script to vaccinate you if you aren’t 65 yet. Those states are listed in the article. Pennsylvania is one of them. ---
**Author:** ![Ellecram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ellecram/32/18948_2.png) [@Ellecram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ellecram)\ **Post date:** [August 31, 2025, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-i-get-my-next-covid-vaccination/990285/129 "2025-08-31T14:17:12Z")
@BippityBoppityBoo Thank you so much for the clarification. I read a couple blurbs here and there until I was lightly confused. This helps a lot. I am an old geezer so I should just sit tight and wait for the supply. What a royal mess for everyone. ---
**Author:** ![teelabrown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teelabrown/32/8412_2.png) [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 12:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-i-get-my-next-covid-vaccination/990285/130 "2025-09-01T12:49:06Z")
The 2025/2026 vax is in stock at our CVS here in California. I’m going in on September 4 for mine, and will get a flu shot at the same time. Mr. brown will get his flu shot on September 8, but doesn’t want to get the Covid one at the same time. He once got both at once, and felt really terrible the next day, and thinks it was due to the double vax. So he’s thinking of just walking in to the CVS today and seeing if they’ll give him just his Covid one now. He doesn’t want to wait on it because he doesn’t trust TPTB not to dick things up vaccine-wise in the near future. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-i-get-my-next-covid-vaccination/990285/131 "2025-09-01T20:44:46Z")
I wanted to get a shot right around now (I’m visiting my 80something parents in two weeks) but I’m too young and insufficiently immuno-compromised according to the current criteria to qualify. And Blue Cross Blue Shield of Az says they aren’t covering it at this time. So I’ll only be able to get my normal flu shot, and I plan to do that later October/Early November to cover me through the traditional peak seasons at maximum effect. Some internet research indicates you can pay out-of-pocket for a vax shot but to expect anywhere from $150-300. Which, while doable, is not an automatic buy, especially if your household has a number of people in it! And the information isn’t consistent over the many sources that the internet provides. -sigh- ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-i-get-my-next-covid-vaccination/990285/132 "2025-09-01T20:53:41Z")
If you have a BMI \>25, are sedentary, or have mental health issues (including depression, autism spectrum, and many others) you can honestly click the “i have a condition that puts me at greater risk” button. My state is still waiting for the CDC to issue formal guidelines, but just clicking that box will probably get you a vaccine in many states. ---
**Author:** ![ParallelLines](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/parallellines/32/3575_2.png) [@ParallelLines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParallelLines)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-i-get-my-next-covid-vaccination/990285/133 "2025-09-01T21:34:03Z")
Yeah, I live in a state (Colorado) that is currently requiring a physician’s prescription to get one. [https://www.9news.com/article/news/health/pharmacies-prescriptions-covid-shots-colorado/73-0abc9b72-723f-4fa6-8c01-e5a725305ff3](https://www.9news.com/article/news/health/pharmacies-prescriptions-covid-shots-colorado/73-0abc9b72-723f-4fa6-8c01-e5a725305ff3) I will _likely_ be able to manage it, but our PCP is backed up a bit with all the back to school/early-season health concerns, so the timing is just bad. And the trying to get anything out of BCBS. Just a headache. ---
**Author:** ![teelabrown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teelabrown/32/8412_2.png) [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 11:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-i-get-my-next-covid-vaccination/990285/134 "2025-09-01T23:00:33Z")
Well, despite CVS’s website saying they now have the 2025/2026 vaccine, they do not in fact have it yet. I went there today to get a prescription, and asked the pharmacist. Nope, not yet. ---
**Author:** ![Velocity](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/velocity/32/18006_2.png) [@Velocity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Velocity)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-i-get-my-next-covid-vaccination/990285/135 "2025-09-01T23:07:25Z")
Out of curiosity, why would a mental-health condition make one’s body any more or less vulnerable to the harm done by being Covid-infected? Is it that Covid makes mental illness worse? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [September 1, 2025, 11:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-i-get-my-next-covid-vaccination/990285/136 "2025-09-01T23:15:48Z")
It hasn’t been released by the manufacturers nor FDA yet. I wonder which idiot did that website? OTOH, _by definition_ the current vax is the latest and greatest _until it’s superseded_. Which might be until forever if RFK and the other criminal drooling RW morons have their way. So in that sense the current mostly obsolete stuff _is_ the 2024, 2025, 2026, and 2030 vax. If anyone can get any. ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2025, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-i-get-my-next-covid-vaccination/990285/137 "2025-09-02T02:09:10Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > Out of curiosity, why would a mental-health condition make one’s body any more or less vulnerable to the harm done by being Covid-infected? Is it that Covid makes mental illness worse? I would guess that depression and anxiety can make it more difficult for an individual to work themselves up to get the vaccine, so anything that makes it easier to get it will help them get over that anxiety-depression hump. ---
**Author:** ![robby](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robby/32/11048_2.png) [@robby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robby)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2025, 2:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-i-get-my-next-covid-vaccination/990285/138 "2025-09-02T02:31:52Z")
> [@teelabrown](#): > > Well, despite CVS’s website saying they now have the 2025/2026 vaccine, they do not in fact have it yet. I went there today to get a prescription, and asked the pharmacist. Nope, not yet. They must think they are going to receive it this week. My CVS here in Connecticut is taking appointments, but the first date that is available is Friday, September 5th. Something similar happened in a previous year. I got a text a day or two before my appointment telling me that the vaccine was not yet available and that I needed to reschedule. I won’t be surprised if that happens this year, too. Also, I’m assuming my insurance will cover this. They say they cover all Covid vaccines, and I do meet the criteria, but there is no recent update on their website regarding the latest vaccines. I believe the pharmacist can check if it’s covered or not, though. (I remember that last year, Medicare wasn’t covering the updated vaccine when she went first went to get it, so my ex-wife rescheduled her appointment for a week later to give them time to update their coverage guidance.) ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2025, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-i-get-my-next-covid-vaccination/990285/139 "2025-09-02T02:32:52Z")
No idea, but the cdc website says something vague about neurological conditions and in told that’s how to interpret it. ---
**Author:** ![BippityBoppityBoo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bippityboppityboo/32/5745_2.png) [@BippityBoppityBoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BippityBoppityBoo)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2025, 2:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-i-get-my-next-covid-vaccination/990285/140 "2025-09-02T02:55:45Z")
> [@Velocity](#): > > why would a mental-health condition make one’s body any more or less vulnerable to the harm done by being Covid-infected? An AI compilation: … Mental illness can worsen COVID-19 through mechanisms including impaired immune function, as chronic stress from mental health conditions can weaken the immune response, making individuals more susceptible to infection and severe illness. Furthermore, the symptoms of certain mental illnesses, such as [brain fog](https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C9BKJA_enUS1051US1051&hl=en-US&cs=0&sca_esv=fcb56211a55ba89b&sxsrf=AE3TifOPIo2K5eCEVYAp_BUNj9YBrGD8kQ%3A1756781533738&q=brain+fog&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwir7u2ZibmPAxU6l4kEHcjPDSgQxccNegQIBBAB&mstk=AUtExfC0R1AqJVWQ7otHq8PU8LOcbSVDLs02vPD10VYLhRA515HFzXduDFpfxKukaSmi06AyxZboclmZAWUIJ4kvfqYuabq1GlZ_ZL2fry6M0O9pM2PBRXu3THyK9Fq1gOhGCte5kepx9fLjdivXW7Qa7arXsEJr8x7kRRorSApa4n1B3TE&csui=3) from depression or [confusion](https://www.google.com/search?rlz=1C9BKJA_enUS1051US1051&hl=en-US&cs=0&sca_esv=fcb56211a55ba89b&sxsrf=AE3TifOPIo2K5eCEVYAp_BUNj9YBrGD8kQ%3A1756781533738&q=confusion&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwir7u2ZibmPAxU6l4kEHcjPDSgQxccNegQIBBAC&mstk=AUtExfC0R1AqJVWQ7otHq8PU8LOcbSVDLs02vPD10VYLhRA515HFzXduDFpfxKukaSmi06AyxZboclmZAWUIJ4kvfqYuabq1GlZ_ZL2fry6M0O9pM2PBRXu3THyK9Fq1gOhGCte5kepx9fLjdivXW7Qa7arXsEJr8x7kRRorSApa4n1B3TE&csui=3)from anxiety disorders, can lead to poor adherence to public health guidelines and difficulty managing treatment, thereby increasing the risk and severity of COVID-19. How Mental Illness Worsens COVID-19: - **Compromised Immune System:** Chronic stress and anxiety, often associated with mental illnesses, can suppress the immune system. This weakened immune response may make individuals more vulnerable to contracting COVID-19 and experiencing more severe symptoms. - **Difficulty Adhering to Public Health Guidelines:** Symptoms like confusion, lack of focus, and forgetfulness, which can occur in conditions such as depression or anxiety, can make it harder for individuals to consistently follow public health recommendations. This can lead to increased exposure to the virus. - **Challenges in Treatment and Management:** The emotional and cognitive difficulties associated with mental health conditions can make it challenging to adhere to treatment plans for COVID-19. Patients may struggle with managing medications, attending appointments, and taking necessary precautions, potentially leading to worse outcomes. - **Increased Risk Factors:** Individuals with pre-existing mental health conditions may have other underlying health issues, such as chronic inflammation or metabolic disorders, which are also known risk factors for severe COVID-19. - **Slower Recovery:** The combination of viral infection and ongoing mental health challenges can lead to a slower and more complicated recovery from COVID-19. In summary, mental illness can create a complex interaction that negatively impacts the course of COVID-19 by affecting the body’s ability to fight the virus and by hindering the individual’s capacity to manage their health effectively…. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2025, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/when-should-i-get-my-next-covid-vaccination/990285/141 "2025-09-03T02:05:02Z")
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