COVID-19 vaccine information

Everyone 6 months and older should get an updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine. 
Nearly all MA residents can still get a COVID-19 vaccine for no or little cost. 

 

COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. Stay up to date with your vaccinations to protect yourself, your family, and your community from serious illness.

Find a vaccine location near you

• Search vaccines.gov
• Visit a doctors’ office, pharmacy, or health center in your community
• Find a local vaccine clinic through the COVID-19 Mobile Vaccination Program
• If you cannot get to a vaccine clinic, you may be able to schedule an in-home vaccination

Search vaccines.gov  Learn about the in-home vaccination program  Find a mobile vaccination clinic near you 

Free or low-cost vaccines

If you have health insurance	Most plans will cover the COVID-19 vaccine at no cost to you. Please check with your health insurance provider.
If you don’t have health insurance, or you have a health plan that does not cover the cost	You can get a free COVID-19 vaccine from: Your local health department or community health center A state-sponsored mobile vaccine clinic A pharmacy participating in the CDC’s Bridge Access Program, which includes all CVS and Walgreens stores
Free for children and youth under 19	The COVID-19 vaccine is free for all children and youth under 19 years of age from their primary care provider or community health center. This is provided through the Commonwealth’s pediatric universal vaccine program.  Your child does not need health insurance or a social security number to get one, and you won’t be asked for payment information  If you do have health insurance, you should bring your insurance card to your appointment

Vaccine doses

Everyone aged 5 years and older should get 1 dose of an updated COVID-19 vaccine to protect against serious illness from COVID-19.  

• This is true even if you’ve never been vaccinated before! 
• You should get an updated vaccine if you have not had a COVID-19 vaccine since September 12, 2023. 
• There are three updated 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines. There is no preference for one over another.

Recommended doses vary by age and immune status*:

12 years and older	1 updated Pfizer or Moderna vaccine or the updated Novavax vaccine. If someone chooses to get the Novavax vaccine and they have never been vaccinated with any COVID-19 vaccine at all, they should get 2 doses of the Novavax vaccine.
5 to 11 years	1 updated Pfizer or Moderna vaccine.
6 months to 4 years	1-3 updated Pfizer and Moderna vaccines. Recommended number of doses for children depends on the brand and the number of doses they have had in the past.

*People who are moderately or severely immunocompromised may get additional doses of updated COVID-19 vaccines. Talk to your healthcare provider about additional updated doses. 

Vaccine safety

COVID-19 vaccines available in Massachusetts are authorized by the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and proven to be safe and effective.

Vaccines teach our immune system how to fight against a specific virus. Like other viruses, COVID-19 changes over time, leading to new variants. Updated vaccines provide protection against these variants. By staying up to date with recommended COVID-19 vaccine doses, you can greatly reduce your risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and death.

Last year, people who received a 2022-2023 COVID-19 vaccine had greater protection against illness and hospitalization than people who did not receive a 2022-2023 vaccine. Hundreds of millions of people have safely received a COVID-19 vaccine under the most intense safety monitoring in U.S. history.

For more vaccine safety information, visit COVID-19 vaccine resources from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC):

• Ensuring the Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines in the United States
• How COVID-19 Vaccines Work
• Benefits of Getting a COVID-19 Vaccine
• Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines
• Frequently Asked Questions about COVID-19 Vaccination
• Your Child’s Vaccine Visit (resources for parents) 

Vaccine records

Use the MyVaxRecords website to get a COVID-19 digital vaccine card or a copy of your vaccination record.

Access your Massachusetts digital vaccine card 

Stop the spread of germs

Prevention measures are necessary to stop the spread of germs, even if you are up to date with your vaccines. Visit mass.gov/StopTheSpread to learn tips on how to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses, like flu and RSV.

Tips to protect yourself and others from getting sick 

If you have questions about how find a COVID-19 vaccination location, call 211 (or 1-877-211-6277). 211 is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All calls are free and confidential. Interpreter services are available in multiple languages.