Immunization FAQs

2026-2027 Respiratory Season

9-28-2026

CDC Clarifies the Recommendations for COVID-19 Vaccination

On September 23, 2026, the CDC clarifies that the recommendations for COVID-19 vaccination from the July 2025 immunization schedule remain in effect for the 2026-2027 respiratory illness season. This recommendation now enables registered immunizing pharmacists under W. Va. 15 CSR 12-5.2.2 to order and administer immunizations based on current CDC recommendations listed here https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/ and the successor website for the Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines in the United States at https://www.cdc.gov/covid/hcp/vaccine-considerations/index.html. A prescriber signed protocol for the COVID-19 vaccines are no longer necessary as of September 23, 2026, provided the CDC recommendations for COVID-19 vaccinations are followed.

For the 2026-2027 season, a summary of the CDC COVID-19 vaccine recommendations includes:

Adults ages 18 years and older: Updated 2026-2027 COVID-19 vaccine is recommended for all adults aged 18 years and older.*
Children ages 6 months–17 years with moderate to severe immunocompromise: Vaccination for children aged 6 months to 17 years who are moderately or severely immunocompromised.**
All other children ages 6 months–17 years: For other children in this age group, a vaccination should occur through shared clinical decision making between parents or guardians and healthcare professionals, with individual risk factors for severe COVID-19 considered alongside the age indications of available vaccine products.

*Adults ≥65 years are recommended to receive two 2026-2027 COVID-19 vaccine doses separated by approximately 6 months.

**Comirnaty (Pfizer-BioNTech) is no longer authorized for children 6 months to 4 years of age; Spikevax (Moderna) is the only FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccine product for that age group.

Pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy interns are only permitted to vaccinate individuals aged 3 years and up. Read the comprehensive list of recommendations prior to begginning immunizing.