COVID-19 Resource Center / COVID-19 Vaccines
COVID-19 Vaccines
Updated on 5/3/23
Latest Updates
Please connect with your primary care provider via MyHealth to schedule a vaccine appointment or to discuss your vaccine options. You can also check your county and local pharmacies for vaccine availability.
We recommend staying up to date on your vaccines. Being fully vaccinated against COVID-19, including getting your boosters, decreases the risk of long-COVID-19 and the severity of illness and transmission.
Due to flooding, the 550 Broadway Drive-thru COVID-19 Vaccination site has closed permanently. Patients with COVID-19 or flu vaccination appointments from January 10, 2023 - January 13th, 2023 will be seen in the 550 Broadway building in Redwood City. Please look for a MyHealth message with specific instructions or call (650) 498-9000.
Keep yourself and your family safe from COVID-19 with the updated bivalent vaccine, which offers the most protection against all known variants, including Omicron.
Everyone 6 months and older is eligible to receive the bivalent Pfizer or Moderna vaccine. Doses and intervals vary depending on age, vaccine status, and health condition. See FAQs for details.
Vaccines for children aged 6-23 months should be scheduled through the child’s pediatrician or pediatric provider.
Phone scheduling is available Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
According to the CDC, clinical trials and ongoing monitoring show that COVID-19 vaccines are safe for children and teens and can help reduce severe complications from the illness. Serious health events after the COVID-19 vaccine, such as myocarditis, are rare. Learn more about the safety of COVID-19 vaccines.
- Children 6 months to 4 years who are unvaccinated can get either of the following:
- 3-dose series of the updated bivalent Pfizer vaccine
- 2-dose series of the updated bivalent Moderna vaccine
- Children aged 5 who are unvaccinated can get either 2 doses of Moderna or a single dose of Pfizer
Children 6 months through 5 years of age who have received one, two or three doses of a monovalent COVID-19 vaccine may receive a bivalent vaccine, but the number of doses that they receive will depend on the vaccine and their vaccination history. See FAQ below about mixing and matching for details.
No, if your child completed the original (monovalent) series, they do not need to redo their vaccines. However, they may need to get their bivalent booster to be considered up to date. See Booster FAQs for guidance.
Those eligible to receive the first bivalent COVID-19 booster include:
- Most individuals, depending on age, who received the monovalent COVID-19 vaccine, but have not yet received a dose of a bivalent vaccine.
- Everyone 5+ who has had their primary series; the bivalent booster should be given at least 2 months after any COVID vaccine or booster dose.
- Children 6 months and 5 years who have received the Moderna vaccine can get the updated Moderna booster.
- Children between the ages of 6 months and 4 years who have received all 3 doses of the monovalent Pfizer vaccine can get the updated Pfizer booster, at least 2 months after completing their primary series.
Those eligible to receive the second bivalent COVID-19 booster include:
- Adults aged 65 and older who have received a single dose of a bivalent vaccine may receive one additional dose at least four months following their initial bivalent dose.
- People who are immunocompromised who have received a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine may receive a single additional dose of a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine at least 2 months following a dose of a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine. Additional doses may be administered at the discretion of their healthcare provider. However, for immunocompromised children 6 months through 4 years of age, eligibility for additional doses will depend on the vaccine previously received.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued guidelines on February 11, 2022 for immunocompromised people. Those who fall in this category and who've had the mRNA vaccines (Pfizer/BioNTech or Moderna) should get a fourth shot (booster dose) at least three months after completing the three-dose primary series. For those who've had the Johnson & Johnson/Janssen vaccine, an mRNA dose is recommended at least 28 days after the first shot, followed by a third dose at least two months later. Learn more about the CDC guidance »
Under new CDC guidelines, people who are immunocompromised who have received a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine may may now receive a single additional dose of a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine at least 2 months following a dose of a bivalent COVID-19 vaccine. Additional doses may be administered at the discretion of their healthcare provider.
For immunocompromised children 6 months through 4 years of age, eligibility for additional doses will depend on the vaccine previously received.
Stanford Health Care patients who are eligible for additional doses can schedule their appointments through MyHealth now.
Individuals with recent COVID-19 infection may receive their booster dose after their symptoms resolve and they have met criteria to discontinue isolation per CDC guidelines.
The CDC does not recommend mixing vaccines for certain age groups. See guidance below:
- Children who only completed 2 doses of the original (monovalent) Pfizer vaccines should get the updated bivalent Pfizer vaccine as the 3rd dose in their primary series.
- Children 6 months to 4 years who completed the 2-dose Moderna primary series should get the updated bivalent Moderna booster.
- Children aged 5 who completed the Pfizer primary series should only get the updated Pfizer booster.
- Children aged 5 who completed the Moderna primary series can get a different product for their updated booster than they got for their primary series.
- People aged 6 years and older can get a different product for their updated booster than they got for their primary series or last booster.
To schedule a booster shot, contact your primary care provider.
“Additional doses” are different than a “booster dose.” A booster is an added dose of a vaccine that is given to someone with a healthy immune system who built enough protection after being fully vaccinated. If that protection gradually decreases, a booster can help sustain it. Third or fourth doses are provided to individuals with compromised immune systems for whom the original vaccine dose was not sufficient to achieve protection from the virus. For more information on new CDC guidance on COVID-19 vaccine additional doses for immunocompromised people, click here.
Yes, the COVID-19 vaccine and flu vaccine may be given at the same time.
The new boosters are “bivalent,” meaning they contain a combination of the original formulation and one targeting BA.5 and BA.5, now the dominant version of the virus, as well as a sister subvariant of Omicron.
- People who have completed their primary series and already received one dose off the bivalent vaccine.
- Children 6 months to 5 years who received the bivalent vaccine as their third shot in the primary series.
Facts and Resources
The best protection against COVID-19
If you’re fully vaccinated and boosted, you have the best chance of staying healthy. You also minimize your chances of becoming seriously ill with COVID-19 and hospitalization.
If you’ve been ill with COVID-19, you still need vaccinations and boosters
A case of COVID-19 does not make you immune to further infections with variants of the virus. Get all your recommended vaccinations and boosters.
Learn more about vaccines and additional doses
Read about vaccine timing and recommendations for immunocompromised people at CDC.gov: Stay Up to Date with Your Vaccines.
How to protect your family and close circle when not everyone is vaccinated
Explore the CDC’s recommendations at CDC.gov: Families and COVID-19.
How to talk to people who have concerns about getting vaccinated or boosted
Download our guidance:
Vaccine News
COVID-19 nasal spray vaccine in the works at Stanford Medicine
Stanford study finds the mRNA-based COVID-19 vaccines are effective in patients with cancer
Stanford Medicine’s diverse medical professionals share their experiences with COVID-19 vaccination
Latest Updates
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends individuals 6 months and older receive the updated bivalent COVID-19 vaccine. Doses vary depending on age and vaccination status. In addition, adults 65 and older can now get a second bivalent booster. See our vaccines page for details.
- In alignment with the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) and local counties, as well as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), booster shots are no longer required for health care workers. However, we will still require health care workers to receive the primary series of the COVID-19 vaccine.
- New guidelines on masking: see our Visitor Policy for details
- Our drive-thru testing and vaccination sites have closed for the season. For guidance, refer to our testing page and vaccination page.
Returning Patient
Scheduling Tip
After signing in, navigate to the Appointments tab. Once there, select "COVID-19 Vaccination" from the list of specialties.
MyHealth is also available on your iOS and Android mobile devices.
Thank you for your patience as we work together to keep our community safe.
Everyone age 6 months and older is eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine.
Everyone age 5 and older, who completed an initial vaccine series, is eligible for a booster.**
Parents/Guardians of people under age 18 without proxy MyHealth access will need to call to schedule an appointment. Individuals who are aged 5-17 can also schedule their vaccination with Stanford Children’s Health. Parental consent is required if under 18 years old.
**Pfizer-BioNTech booster is available for 5+
**Moderna booster is available for 18+