COVID-19 vaccinations for individuals with certain medical conditions

Details of certain medical conditions that cause people to be at increased risk of severe illness due to COVID-19.

Medical conditions

The CDC has defined the list of conditions that cause individuals to be at an increased risk of severe illness from COVID-19. 

Medical Conditions:

• Cancer
• Chronic kidney disease
• Chronic lung diseases, including COPD (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), asthma (moderate-to-severe), interstitial lung disease, cystic fibrosis, and pulmonary hypertension
• Dementia or other neurological conditions
• Diabetes (type 1 or type 2)
• Down syndrome
• Heart conditions (such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies or hypertension)
• HIV infection
• Immunocompromised state (weakened immune system)
• Liver disease
• Overweight and obesity
  • Calculate your BMI here: Adult BMI Calculator | CDC
• Pregnancy
• Sickle cell disease or thalassemia
• Smoking, current or former
• Solid organ or blood stem cell transplant
• Stroke or cerebrovascular disease, which affects blood flow to the brain
• Substance use disorders

Learn more from CDC: COVID-19: People with Certain Medical Conditions

Vaccine and booster information

People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised are especially vulnerable to COVID-19 and may need more doses of vaccine to protect them. If you are moderately or severely immunocompromised, the CDC recommends a primary series that includes an additional vaccine dose. You can think of this as needing to get an additional booster dose.  

If you fall into this category, your primary series will consist of:  

• Moderna: 3 doses  

• Pfizer: 3 doses  

• Novavax: 2 doses  

• Johnson & Johnson: 1 Johnson & Johnson dose followed by 1 additional dose of either Moderna or Pfizer  

If you’re moderately or severely immunocompromised, you’re eligible for an additional vaccine dose when:  

• Moderna: It’s been at least 28 days since your 2nd dose  

• Pfizer: It’s been at least 28 days since your 2nd dose  

• Novavax: At this time, Novavax is not authorized for use as an additional dose or as a booster dose  

• Johnson & Johnson: It’s been at least 28 days since your dose of J&J (your additional dose will be either Pfizer or Moderna)  

People ages 6 months years and older, including those who are moderately or severely immunocompromised, are recommended to receive 1 updated (bivalent mRNA) booster dose after completion of any primary series or previously received monovalent booster dose(s) with the following exception: children 6 months–4 years who receive a 3-dose Pfizer-BioNTech primary series are not authorized to receive a booster dose at this time regardless of which Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine (i.e., a monovalent or bivalent) was administered for the third primary series dose.  

Monovalent mRNA vaccines are not authorized as a booster dose. 

For people ages 6 years and older, your booster vaccine does NOT need to be the same as your primary series – “mix & match” is OK.  

For people under 6 years of age, the booster vaccine should be the same product as the primary series (if you got a Pfizer primary series, you should get the Pfizer booster; if you got the Moderna primary series, you should get the Moderna booster) 

The recommendations can vary based on your age, health status, and which product you get. Discuss options with your healthcare provider or vaccine administrator, or learn more here: https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/stay-up-to-date.html 

Use VaxFinder to find a pharmacy or other location to get your booster.  

Steps to get your vaccination

You will not need copies of medical records or a note from your doctor or health care provider.

Read more about vaccine safety.

Step 1: Find a location and schedule your appointment

Use VaxFinder.mass.gov to search for a vaccine appointment near you.

Individuals without access to the internet or who are unable to schedule their appointment online can call toll free 2-1-1 or [phone] for assistance.

Use VaxFinder to search for appointments 

Step 2: Learn how to prepare for your appointment and what you need to bring with you.

You will never be asked for a credit card number to make an appointment.