As we head into another fall and winter season, a big question is who should get the updated COVID-19 shot. The group of experts that advises the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, called the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, has now made its official recommendations for the 2024-25 vaccines. Their guidance applies to all people in the United States aged six months and older.
This committee's vote is a critical step. It's the formal process that allows the CDC director to issue the final, official recommendations that doctors and pharmacies will follow when offering the shots this season. The committee's decision is based on reviewing the latest data on the virus and the vaccines designed to match it.
We don't yet have the specific details of what the committee recommended, such as whether certain groups might need more than one dose. The official report summarizing their discussion and the precise guidance is still to come. For now, the key takeaway is that the formal process is moving forward to have updated vaccines ready for anyone six months and up who chooses to get one this fall.