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The virus that causes COVID-19 changes over time. Keep your protection against COVID-19 up to date by getting a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine.

The bivalent COVID-19 vaccines include a component that corresponds to the original virus strain to provide broad protection against COVID-19 and a component that corresponds to the omicron variant to provide better protection against COVID-19 caused by the omicron variant. These are called bivalent COVID-19 vaccines because they include these two components.

COVID-19 vaccines can help protect against severe illness, hospitalization and death from COVID-19. As the virus changes and your immunity naturally decreases over time, you may lose some of that protection.

Search in your zip code to find a location where a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine is available near you. 

What bivalent COVID-19 vaccines has the FDA authorized for use?

The FDA authorized the Moderna COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent and the Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 Vaccine, Bivalent. For detailed information, please refer to the fact sheets for each vaccine that can be found on the Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine webpages.

Am I eligible for a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine?

Eligibility for a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine depends on:

• Your age
• If you have certain kinds of immunocompromise
• If you received a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine in the past
• When you received your most recent COVID-19 vaccine

Most  people who have already received a single dose of a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine aren’t currently eligible for another dose.

Talk to your health care provider for more information on eligibility for vaccination with a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine.

If eligible, consider getting a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine.

The bivalent COVID-19 vaccines provide broad protection against COVID-19 and are expected to provide better protection against COVID-19 caused by currently circulating variants. Talk to your health care provider if you have questions about the bivalent COVID-19 vaccines.

What is the difference between the monovalent and bivalent COVID-19 vaccines?

The monovalent COVID-19 vaccines have a component of, or a component that corresponds to, the original strain of the virus that causes COVID-19. The bivalent COVID-19 vaccines have two mRNA components: one of which corresponds to the original strain of the virus that is broadly protective against COVID-19 and the other corresponds to the omicron variant BA.4 and BA.5 lineages to provide better protection against COVID-19 caused by the omicron variant.

Why are the monovalent Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines no longer authorized for use in the U.S.?

The monovalent Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines are no longer authorized for use in the U.S. because the available data indicate that the bivalent Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccines provide improved protection against severe illness, hospitalization and death due to COVID-19 caused by currently circulating variants. In addition, this change helps simplify COVID-19 vaccine composition and dosing schedules for the mRNA vaccines in the United States, which should help to decrease vaccine administration errors and potentially increase vaccine uptake.