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COVID-19: Providers

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Vaccine Information for Providers

2025–2026 COVID-19 Immunization Guidance

The New York City Health Department, together with the New York State Department of Health, issued recommendations for administration of 2025–2026 COVID-19 vaccines for adults, children, and pregnant people. Everyone 6 months can benefit from a COVID-19 vaccine.

Vaccination is especially important for:

  • Adults 65 years and older
  • Children 6 to 23 months
  • People who are pregnant, postpartum, or contemplating pregnancy
  • People of any age who have an underlying condition that increases their risk for severe COVID-19
  • People at high risk of exposure, such as health care workers and people living or working in a nursing home or other congregate setting
  • People living with someone with an underlying condition that increases their risk for severe COVID-19
  • People who have never been vaccinated

For people who do not fall into any of the categories above, vaccination remains recommended because it reduces the risk of symptomatic infection, severe illness, hospitalization, and death.

This guidance is aligned with recent recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics, American Academy of Family Physicians, and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.


Vaccine Access

The NYC Health Department strongly encourages providers to offer COVID-19 vaccines to their patients.

COVID-19 vaccination continues to be covered by Medicare, NYS Medicaid, and other health insurance plans. Patients should confirm with their health insurance plans where they can access COVID-19 vaccinations in-network.

No-cost vaccinations for eligible children are available through the Vaccines for Children (VFC) program. Refer to the NYC VFC Provider Requirements for more information.

Locations offering low- and no-cost COVID-19 vaccinations for adults who do not have health insurance or whose insurance does not cover the cost of the vaccine can be found on the NYC Health Map.

Products

Four updated 2025–2026 COVID-19 vaccines are approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA):

  • Spikevax (Moderna): vaccine containing mRNA to encode the full spike protein; for ages 6 months and older
  • mNexspike (Moderna): newer vaccine containing mRNA to encode a portion of the spike protein; for ages 12 years and older
  • Comirnaty (Pfizer): vaccine containing mRNA to encode the full spike protein; for ages 5 years and older
  • Nuvaxovid (Novavax): protein-based vaccine; for ages 12 years and older

The 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccine formulations target circulating SARS-CoV-2 variants. Comirnaty, Spikevax, and mNexspike vaccines target the LP.8.1 strain of SARS-CoV-2. Nuvaxovid targets the JN.1 strain.

The 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccines should no longer be administered.

Citywide Immunization Registry Reporting

Reporting doses to the Citywide Immunization Registry (CIR) makes it easier for patients and providers to access their immunization records. Providers can use the CIR to identify recommended immunizations and when they should be administered, generate coverage reports for their facility, send reminders to patients, and conduct quality assurance projects.

Providers administering vaccines to adults 19 years and older must obtain oral or written patient consent to report doses to the CIR. If your facility reports doses to the CIR using the HL7 Webservice, contact your electronic health record vendor to ensure a completed adult consent field is transmitted from your electronic health record to the CIR with each vaccine dose.

CIR reporting is required for all vaccines administered to individuals 18 years and younger. Consent is not required.

Vaccine Safety

Resources to address patients’ questions and concerns about COVID-19 vaccine safety:

Providers are encouraged to report adverse events and vaccine administration errors to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS). Certain adverse events are required by law to be reported to VAERS.


Pharmacist Vaccinations

On September 5, 2025, Governor Hochul signed an Executive Order to ensure that eligible New Yorkers can continue to receive COVID-19 vaccinations at pharmacies. This order has been renewed monthly to maintain access:

The Executive Order accomplishes the following:

For patients who meet the FDA-approved indications (on-label usage, defined as patients 65 years and older or patients younger than 65 years with at least one underlying condition that puts them at high risk for severe outcomes from COVID-19):

  • Allows physicians and certified nurse practitioners who are licensed in New York state to prescribe a patient-specific order for pharmacists to administer COVID-19 vaccines to patients 3 years and older.
    • Authorizes pharmacists to administer COVID-19 vaccines in accordance with a patient specific order.
  • Allows physicians and certified nurse practitioners who are licensed in New York state to prescribe a non-patient-specific order for pharmacists to administer COVID-19 vaccines to patients 3 years and older.
    • Authorizes pharmacists to administer COVID-19 vaccines in accordance with a non-patient-specific order.
    • To support this expansion, the New York State Department of Health issued Standing Orders for Pharmacists.

For patients who do not meet the FDA-approved indications (off-label usage):

Call 347-396-2400 or email nycimmunize@health.nyc.gov for questions about COVID-19 vaccines.