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The COVID-19 vaccine is safe and effective. 

It can reduce your risk of:

  • COVID-19 symptoms
  • Severe illness and hospitalization
  • Long-term health effects, such as Long COVID

The best way to protect yourself and others is to stay up to date with the COVID-19 vaccinations.

Everyone 6 years and older should get the new, updated COVID-19 vaccine, even if they’ve received any original COVID-19 vaccines. Young children, seniors, and people at high-risk may need extra doses.

Updated COVID-19 vaccines are available now. Locations will be added to Vaccine Finder on a rolling basis.

Learn more about the COVID-19 vaccine.

Everyone 6 months and older should get the new, updated COVID-19 vaccine. This new vaccine protects against both the original virus that causes COVID-19 and current variants.

The new, updated Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccines are the only brands of the updated COVID-19 vaccine currently available in the US. It doesn’t matter which brand you choose. Older Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are no longer available.

You should get the updated vaccine, even if you’ve already received:

  • Any original COVID-19 vaccines
  • The older bivalent booster that targeted earlier Omicron subvariants

The number of doses you need depends on your age and if you’re at risk of severe COVID-19 illness.

If you recently had COVID-19, talk to your health care provider about when you should get your next vaccine.

People 5 Years or Older

Everyone 5 years and older should get one dose of the new, updated COVID-19 vaccine. You can get the new vaccine two months after your last dose.

If you are 65 or older, you may get a second dose of the updated vaccine 4 or more months after your first dose. Talk to your health care provider if you have questions about the number of doses you need.

Children Younger Than 5

Children 6 months to 4 years old need multiple doses of COVID-19 vaccines. Young children get the same vaccine as for adults, but at a lower dose.

The number of doses needed for this age group depends on the child’s vaccination history.

  • If the child has never received the COVID-19 vaccine, follow this schedule:
    • Updated Pfizer Vaccine
      • Doses: 3
      • Schedule: Second dose given at least 21 days after the first, and the third dose given at least 56 days after the second.
    • Updated Moderna Vaccine
      • Doses: 2 (if immunocompromised, the child should get three doses)
      • Schedule: Second dose given at least 28 days after the first
  • If the child has already received one or more doses of a COVID-19 vaccine, talk to your child’s health care provider. The child should get at least one dose of the new, updated Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine, but the total number of doses they need depends on the vaccine and how many doses they’ve previously received.

People with a Weakened Immune System

If you have a weakened immune system, you should get more than one dose of the new, updated COVID-19 vaccine. You can get additional doses as long as they are given at least two months apart.

If you have never received a COVID-19 vaccine, you should get three vaccine doses as part of your initial series. Then, you can also get additional doses at least 2 months after the last one.

Talk with your health care provider if you have questions about how many vaccine doses you should get. 

Updated COVID-19 vaccines are available now. Locations will be added to Vaccine Finder on a rolling basis.

All people aged 6 months and older, regardless of residency or immigration status, are eligible to receive a COVID-19 vaccine in NYC. 

You can get the vaccine for free at some sites. Other sites may charge a copay or other fee. Check with the site or provider before you go.

Vaccine Finder can help you find vaccination sites, mobile buses, and pop-ups near you that:

  • Accept walk-ups
  • Offer or require appointments
  • Are accessible for people with disabilities (check to confirm site-specific availability)
  • Provide a specific vaccine type

No Internet Access

If you don’t have internet access, you can schedule an appointment with the Nurse Call Line. However, the call line can only schedule an appointment for Health + Hospitals and NYC Department of Health vaccination sites.

  • Agency: Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
  • Division: Nurse Call Line
  • Phone Number: (855) 491-2667
  • Business Hours: Daily: 9 AM - 9 PM
  • Translators are available.

Before You Go

Before you can get a vaccine, you must:

1) Bring a document showing proof of age, such as a:

  • Driver’s license or non-driver ID
  • IDNYC card
  • Birth certificate issued by a state or local government
  • Current U.S passport or valid foreign passport
  • Permanent resident card
  • Certificate of Naturalization or Citizenship
  • Life insurance policy with birthdate
  • Marriage certificate with birthdate

2) Provide written or verbal consent if your child is getting the vaccine:

  • A parent or guardian must provide consent for their child to be vaccinated in person, by phone or in writing, depending on the vaccination site. They will not need to provide proof they are the child's parent or guardian.
  • Children ages 15 and younger should be accompanied to the vaccination site by a parent or guardian, or another adult caregiver designated by the parent or guardian.

After You Get the Vaccine

After you get vaccinated at a City or State site, you'll be given a card with the following:

  • Your name, date of birth, and medical record number (if you have one)
  • Name of the vaccine you were given
  • Date and place you got the shot

Cancel or Reschedule an Appointment

Vaccine appointments at City-run sites may be rescheduled due to vaccine shortages or severe weather. If you are impacted, the City will call and email you with a new date and time to show up for your appointment.

If you need to reschedule or cancel a vaccine appointment, contact the site where you scheduled your appointment.

If you have an appointment with an NYC Health + Hospitals or NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) site, you can cancel or reschedule your appointment with the Nurse Call Line.

If you have a DOHMH appointment, you can also reschedule or cancel your appointment online.

  • Agency: Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
  • Division: Nurse Call Line
  • Phone Number: (855) 491-2667
  • Business Hours: Daily: 9 AM - 9 PM
  • Translators are available.

You may request a reasonable accommodation to participate in the New York City Health Department’s COVID-19 vaccination program.

Make your request as soon as possible before scheduling a vaccination appointment at your preferred City-run site.

You may also visit a vaccination site without an appointment for immediate service.

Each City-run vaccination site has:

  • An accessible entrance and exit, restroom, and pathway to the vaccination area
  • Video translation services for more than 240 languages including American Sign Language
  • A Disability Access and Functional Needs (DAFN) Coordinator who can help you during your visit

Most sites will not require you to complete any paper documentation during your visit. If paper documentation is required, the DAFN Coordinator will be there to provide help.

You may bring a companion, personal care attendant, personal care aide, family member, or other person to help you during your appointment. This can include someone who can interpret for you.

You may also bring a service animal or mobility device such as a wheelchair or walker.

Online

You can email your request for a reasonable accommodation to hubaccess@health.nyc.gov.

You can also go to the Disability Access page to learn more about requesting reasonable accommodations.

By Phone

Call 311 or 212-NEW-YORK (212-639-9675) for assistance.

You can schedule transportation to your vaccine appointment if you are 65 or older and:

  • Cannot use public transportation,
  • Cannot use private transportation, and
  • Cannot rely on friends or family members for transport.

You must already have a vaccine appointment before scheduling transportation. However, you do not need an appointment for City-run vaccination sites.

If you are between the ages of 60 and 64, visit the Transportation for Seniors page instead for other transportation options.

Access-a-Ride

If you already use Access-a-Ride, you can schedule transportation to your appointment as you normally would.

  • Agency: Metropolitan Transportation Authority
  • Division: Access-A-Ride
  • Phone Number: (718) 393-4999
  • Business Hours: Daily: 7 AM - 5 PM
  • Staff is available through the automated phone system during business hours. Automated assistance is also available in Spanish. If you get a busy signal, call (877) 337-2017.

Medicaid

If you have Medicaid-provided transportation, you can use your usual contact number to schedule transport. You can also call Medicaid Transportation Management.

  • Agency: Medicaid Transportation Management
  • Phone Number: (844) 666-6270
  • Business Hours: 24 hours, 7 days a week

COVID-19 vaccination is optional.

The City doesn't require you to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter or work at businesses, workplaces, schools, child care, government offices, and other facilities in NYC. However, businesses and workplaces can still require staff and customers to be vaccinated if they choose.

Side Effects

Call your health care provider if: 

  • You have side effects that concern you
  • Redness or soreness where you got the shot increases after 24 hours
  • Side effects don’t go away after a few days

You can also report side effects to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). VAERS is managed by the CDC and Food and Drug Administration. 

You can make a report online or by phone. Your information will be kept confidential.

Online

Report side effects to VAERS.

By Phone

  • Agency: Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System
  • Phone Number: (800) 822-7967
  • Business Hours: Monday - Friday: 9 AM - 5 PM

Additional Assistance

You can talk with a nurse if you need more information and answers to questions about the vaccine.

  • Agency: Department of Health and Mental Hygiene
  • Division: Nurse Call Line
  • Phone Number: (855) 491-2667
  • Business Hours: Daily: 9 AM - 9 PM
  • Translators are available.

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