Yesterday, I wrote about the new FDA approvals for the Fall 2025 COVID-19 vaccines. However, I should clearly provide all the FAQs about the new vaccine approvals so that you know if you can get the vaccine.

If you are eligible to receive the 2025 COVID-19 vaccines, I strongly recommend that you get them.

2025 COVID-19 vaccines FAQs

Below are answers to important questions that I have seen over the past day regarding the Fall 2025 COVID-19 vaccines.

What vaccines are available?

Four COVID vaccines were approved by the FDA this week:

• Two mRNA-based COVID vaccines from Moderna: Spikevax and mNexspike. Spikevax was approved for all adults 65 years and older, and people aged 5 to 64 years with one comorbidity that puts them at high risk for severe COVID. It was also approved for children 6 months to 4 years with a high-risk condition. mNexspike was approved for all adults 65 years and older, plus individuals 12 to 64 years old with a high-risk condition.
• Pfizer’s mRNA-based Comirnaty. It was approved for adults 65 years and older, and individuals ages 5 to 64 with at least one high-risk condition. The previous Emergency Use Authorization for Comirnaty that included children 6 months to 4 years old was revoked by the FDA.
• Novavax’s non-mRNA Nuvaxoid vaccine was approved for individuals 12 through 64 years of age with at least one underlying high-risk condition and for all adults 65 and older.

Who is eligible for the COVID vaccines?

Even though everything I’m writing here is based on FDA approvals, officially, the anti-vaccine Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) will make the official recommendations for COVID vaccines on September 17-18, 2025. If ACIP makes changes from the FDA approvals, I’ll repost this with updated information.

If you are over the age of 65, you are eligible for any of the four vaccines. No comorbidities are necessary.

If you are 64 or younger, you are eligible for the vaccine if you have any of the high-risk conditions listed in the chart below.

If you have any of the conditions listed above, you are considered to be at high risk from COVID and are eligible to get one of the vaccines, depending on age.

I’ve read some comments online that say you can claim you have one of these conditions to become eligible for the vaccine. I strongly, without reservation, recommend that you do not lie about underlying conditions. If you claim them, it can end up in your medical record.

For example, a false claim could cause you to be denied life insurance, or, worse yet, it could allow the insurance company to deny a claim made by your heirs if you die.

A false medical record could also direct a physician to treat you differently in an emergency. Please don’t do this.

What about medical organizations’ recommendations?

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that all children under 2 years old get vaccinated against COVID. In addition, they recommend that high-risk children (as listed in the previous section) or those children who live with high-risk individuals receive the vaccine. The recommendation also states that children not in high-risk groups should be offered the vaccine if the parent or guardian desires it.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that pregnant women receive the vaccine at any point during pregnancy, when planning to become pregnant, or while lactating.

Unfortunately, these recommendations do not have the forcefulness of a CDC recommendation, so states, which are responsible for implementing vaccine recommendations, may not follow these organizations’ guidance on the COVID vaccines.

Could I just get the COVID vaccine if I wanted?

Technically, yes, you could. A healthcare professional could administer the vaccine off-label. According to regulations, a physician can prescribe any drug they want for any condition they want, as long as the drug is not contraindicated for a particular condition.

However, there are two caveats to this that I think a lot of people are ignoring:

1. Many healthcare professionals will not administer the COVID vaccine to someone who is not officially eligible, as they are concerned about potential liability. There are such negative opinions about the vaccine that they could be worried about a malpractice lawsuit if anything goes wrong with the vaccine.
2. Health insurers may not cover the cost of the vaccine. For example, a doctor may give someone a vaccine using the AAP or ACOG recommendations, but the health insurance may only cover vaccinations recommended by the CDC. Medicaid, Medicare, and the Vaccines for Children Program probably will not cover vaccines that are not recommended by the CDC. The cost of a COVID shot will be $200 or more if you intend to purchase it yourself.

The COVID vaccines are so controversial (not from a scientific perspective, of course) that I think there may be some barriers that appear out of nowhere to access the vaccine. I hate being pessimistic, but nine months ago, I didn’t think that we would be having these kinds of discussions about vaccines.

What am I going to do?

I have had every COVID vaccination since it was offered back in April 2021. I’ve had 10 COVID vaccines. So, you can assume I will get another one this fall.

Summary

I hope I reduced some of the confusion about the Fall 2025 COVID-19 vaccines. If you’re 65 or older, you’re set; go get the new version of the vaccine.

If you’re 64 years or younger, you need to fit into one of the categories to meet the standard of high-risk. I think there are enough categories that many can get the vaccine.

And if you’re not at high risk and too young, I think there will be enough healthcare professionals who will be willing to give you the vaccine, but you probably will have to pay out-of-pocket.

Of course, in a couple of weeks, ACIP may throw more wrenches into this discussion.

Citations

• Committee on Infectious Diseases. Recommendations for COVID-19 Vaccines in Infants, Children, and Adolescents: Policy Statement. Pediatrics. 2025 Aug 19. doi: 10.1542/peds.2025-073924. Epub ahead of print. PMID: 40826495.

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