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Immunization Information for Health Care Professionals

2026 Updates

Immunization Schedule

Vaccination Campaign

  • A new citywide campaign encourages parents to seek reliable vaccination information from their children’s doctor.
  • View materials and information under Patient Vaccine Education.

COVID-19 Vaccinations at Pharmacies

  • The minimum age for COVID-19 vaccinations at pharmacies has been lowered from age 3 to age 2 years old.
  • New York State pharmacists are now authorized to administer COVID-19 vaccines to children 2 years and older with a patient specific order or non-patient specific standing order.

Health care professionals can contact the Bureau of Immunization at 347-396-2400 or nycimmunize@health.nyc.gov with questions at any time.

We also host virtual Office Hours on the first Wednesday of every month at noon. To be added to the email distribution list and receive the monthly Office Hours registration link, ensure that you are listed as a contact for your facility in the CIR Facility Manager.

Perinatal Hepatitis B Vaccination

The New York State Department of Health and the NYC Health Department continue to strongly recommend that newborns born to birthing parents who test negative for hepatitis B infection and have a birth weight of at least 2,000 g (4.4 lbs) should be vaccinated within 24 hours of birth.

  • Birthing parents who test negative during screening may acquire hepatitis B between testing and delivery or may have a false-negative test result.
  • Infants can also contract hepatitis B from caregivers, household contacts, and others with known or unknown hepatitis B infection, or from surfaces and objects contaminated with blood containing hepatitis B virus. Hepatitis B is a resilient virus and can live on surfaces such as washcloths and nail clippers for up to 7 days.
  • One in four people infected with hepatitis B virus during childhood die from liver cirrhosis or liver cancer in later life.

Recommendations to vaccinate newborns born to birthing parents who test positive for hepatitis B infection or who have unknown hepatitis B infection status also remain unchanged.

For more details about these recommendations and the data supporting them, see the following letters:

Vaccination Against Respiratory Viruses

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Flu

  • Everyone 6 months and older should receive a 2025-2026 flu vaccine, especially people who are at high risk for severe influenza disease and complications. This includes people with underlying chronic medical conditions, people who are pregnant, and people ages 65 years and older or younger than 5 years.
  • Most people should receive the flu vaccine in September or October.
  • The flu vaccine should continue to be offered to unvaccinated individuals through June 30 of each year, as influenza viruses continue to circulate.

COVID-19

  • Everyone 6 months and older can benefit from a COVID-19 vaccine.
  • Vaccination is especially important for certain groups. For more details, see COVID-19: Vaccine Information for Providers.
  • The SARS-CoV-2 virus typically spreads year-round, but peaks in the early winter and late summer have been common.
  • People ages 65 years and older should receive a second 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccine dose at least 6 months after their initial dose. People who are immunocompromised may need additional doses of COVID-19 vaccine.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)

  • Older adults: RSV vaccination is recommended for everyone ages 75 years and older and people ages 50 to 74 years with risk factors for severe RSV disease.
    • Adults should receive a single, lifetime dose. Annual RSV vaccination is not currently recommended.
    • Eligible older adults can receive an RSV vaccine at any time during the year, but RSV vaccination will have the most benefit if administered just before RSV season from August to October.
  • Recommendations for RSV immunization for pregnant people, infants, and high-risk young children are available at RSV: Information for Providers.

Vaccination During Pregnancy

The following vaccinations are recommended during pregnancy, consistent with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (AGOG) 2026 Maternal Immunization Schedule:

Flu

  • Pregnant people are at increased risk of severe influenza disease and complications and should receive an annual flu vaccine.
  • Flu vaccination also helps protect the infant, who is at increased risk of severe influenza disease and is not eligible for vaccination until 6 months of age.
  • Most people should receive the flu vaccine in September or October (including people who are pregnant), and pregnant people may receive the vaccine during any trimester.
    • Vaccination during July and August can be considered for people in their third trimester to ensure their newborns are protected during their first 6 months of life.
    • People in their first or second trimester during July and August should generally wait until September to be vaccinated, unless there is a concern that later vaccination might not be possible.

COVID-19

  • Pregnant people are at increased risk of severe COVID-19 disease and should be vaccinated if they have not already received their annual vaccine.
  • COVID-19 vaccination also helps protect the infant, who is at increased risk of severe COVID-19 disease and is not eligible for vaccination until 6 months of age.
  • Pregnant people can receive a COVID-19 vaccine during any trimester and at any time of year.

Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV)

  • All infants should be protected against RSV through one of these options:
    • Vaccine (Abrysvo) given to pregnant people during 32 weeks and zero days through 36 weeks and 6 days’ gestation who have not received the RSV vaccine during a prior pregnancy.
      • RSV vaccination for pregnant people in NYC is recommended from September 1 through January 31.
    • Monoclonal antibodies (nirsevimab or clesrovimab) given to infants less than 8 months of age.
      • The optimal timing for RSV monoclonal antibody administration is shortly before RSV season begins or within a baby's first week of life, ideally during the birth hospitalization, if born during the RSV season.
      • In a typical year, RSV monoclonal antibody administration in NYC is recommended from October 1 through March 31.
        • Due to atypical RSV activity during the 2025-2026 RSV season, the recommendation for the use of monoclonal antibodies in NYC was extended through April 30, 2026.
        • As of April 30, 2026, health care professionals in NYC are recommended to stop administering RSV monoclonal antibodies for the season due to very low RSV activity in NYC.
      • The Health Department closely monitors RSV data and immunization guidance and will send a message to health care professionals via email and update this webpage in the fall as the 2026-2027 RSV season approaches.
  • Infants whose birthing parent received RSV vaccine during a prior pregnancy should receive monoclonal antibodies.
  • Additional information about RSV immunization for pregnant people, infants, and high-risk young children is available at RSV: Information for Providers.

Pertussis

  • Pregnant people should receive a Tdap vaccine during every pregnancy to protect their infant from pertussis, preferably in the early part of 27 through 36 weeks’ gestation.
  • Anyone who will have contact with the infant (such as siblings, grandparents, and other caregivers) should also be vaccinated at least 2 weeks before meeting the infant if they are not already up-to-date with their own pertussis vaccinations.

Additional Resources for Vaccination During Pregnancy

ACOG has detailed information on immunization topics including flu, COVID-19, RSV, and Tdap vaccines. See Physician Frequently Asked Questions - Immunizations.


Shared Clinical Decision-making

Every vaccine administered should follow a discussion between a health care professional and a patient (or their representative). All patients should also be given a Vaccine Information Statement prior to each vaccination, which details the risks and benefits of vaccination.

The New York State Department of Health and the NYC Health Department recommend children are vaccinated according to the 2026 AAP Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule.

  • In contrast to the AAP schedule, the CDC immunization schedule published in January 2026 reclassified certain vaccines from routine recommendations to shared clinical decision-making, but these reclassifications were not based on new scientific evidence.

Unlike routine recommendations, vaccines recommended under shared clinical decision-making are not recommended for everyone in a particular age group. Rather, shared clinical decision-making recommendations are based on a collaborative discussion between the health care professional and the patient, parent, or guardian about the risks and benefits of vaccination for the individual.

  • Vaccines recommended by CDC under shared clinical decision-making continue to be covered by private health insurance plans, Medicaid, and the Vaccines for Children program.
  • Health care facilities should confirm specific documentation requirements for shared clinical decision-making with their billing and legal teams.
  • Physicians, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, and registered nurses are all qualified to engage in shared clinical decision-making.

For more information, visit Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia: Shared Clinical Decision-Making: What It Is and Why It Matters.

Notification Letters and Health Advisories

2026

2025

2024

2023

2022

Additional Resources

NYC Vaccine Access

  • VFC Program: Enroll to receive no cost vaccines for eligible children.
  • Health Map: If you are unable to offer vaccinations at your facility, you should recommend the vaccines your patients need, refer patients to vaccination locations on the NYC Health Map, and follow up with your patients to confirm they received the recommended vaccines.

NYC Requirements

Vaccine Administration Support

  • Citywide Immunization Registry: Tools to review your patients’ vaccination coverage, send reminder or recall texts or letters to patients who are due for vaccinations
    • NYC health care professionals report immunizations to the CIR as required by New York State Public Health Law and the NYC Health Code.
    • All immunizations administered to children age 18 years and younger in NYC must be reported to the CIR.
    • Immunizations administered to adults 19 years and older in NYC should be reported to the CIR with oral or written patient consent.
    • Reporting doses to the CIR helps ensure patients receive all recommended vaccines on time by appropriately forecasting which vaccines are due. Patients can access records of all vaccine doses reported to the CIR at My Vaccine Record.
  • Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS): Instructions for reporting vaccine administration errors and suspected adverse vaccine reactions
  • Vaccine Information Statements: Repository of statements to provide to patients prior to vaccination

Clinical Guidance

NYC Data

  • Childhood Vaccination Data Explorer: Estimates of vaccination coverage (the percentage of people who are vaccinated) in NYC for children ages 6 months to 17 years, by vaccine type, including trends over time and breakdowns by race and ethnicity, borough, and ZIP code
  • Respiratory Illness Data: Data and key metrics on COVID-19, flu, and RSV in NYC, including information on cases, emergency department visits, and deaths, as well as demographic breakdowns, where available

Patient Vaccine Education