COVID-19 vaccine guidance
DPH guidance for the 2025/2026 respiratory illness season for COVID-19 vaccine:
- Massachusetts 2025-2026 Respiratory Illness Season COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations
- Northeast Public Health Collaborative Recommendations for the 2025-2026 COVID-19 Vaccine
Adults and children are encouraged to discuss COVID-19 vaccination with their healthcare providers, based on their individual risk factors.
Hepatitis B vaccine guidance for infants and children
DPH guidance regarding infant and children vaccination against hepatitis B, issued December 2025:
- Massachusetts Guidance on Use of the Hepatitis B Vaccine for Infants and Children
- Northeast Public Health Collaborative Hepatitis B Statement
Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella (MMRV) vaccine guidance
DPH guidance on the use of Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella (MMRV) vaccine:
- Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella (MMRV) Guidance
- Measles, Mumps, Rubella, Varicella (MMRV) Vaccine in Children Under the Age of Four Years
- Northeast Public Health Collaborative Response to the September ACIP Meeting
Pediatric immunization guidance
Pediatric immunization schedule
As outlined in the DPH Guidance on Recommended Reference Materials for Pediatric Immunization (PDF) l (DOC) DPH recommends that families and providers in Massachusetts use the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule as the primary reference for the routine immunization of infants, children, and adolescents. The AAP is a national professional organization representing pediatric physicians, and its immunization schedule aligns with science-backed pediatric standards of care, is supported by decades of documented effectiveness, and provides detailed guidance that supports clinical decision-making in pediatric settings.
- Parents can find information at HealthyChildren, and easy to read immunization schedules for young children (under 7 years old) and older children (7 through 18 years old)
- Providers should refer to the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule for detailed clinical information
Read the Northeast Public Health Collaborative’s January 7, 2026 statement in support of the American Academy of Pediatrics Vaccine Schedule.
Adult immunization guidance
Adult immunization schedule
The CDC Adult Immunization Schedule guidance currently remains in place for adult immunizations, except for specific DPH recommended guidance for vaccines detailed above.