COVID-19: Providers

Vaccine Information for Providers

2025–2026 COVID-19 Immunization Guidance

The Health Department, together with New York State, has issued COVID-19 immunization recommendations for the 2025–2026 respiratory virus season for adults, children, and pregnant people.

Vaccination is especially important for:

Adults 65 and older
Children 6 to 23 months
People who are pregnant or postpartum
People of any age who have an underlying condition that increases their risk for severe COVID-19

The following groups should also get vaccinated:

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 before

For adults 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.

For children ages 2 to 18 who do not fall into any of the categories above, vaccination may be provided at the request of their parent or guardian.

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

Providers who do not offer COVID-19 vaccines will be able to refer patients to the NYC Health Map to find a vaccination site.  Locations offering 2025–2026 COVID-19 vaccines will be posted soon. 

Patients should check with their health plan to make sure COVID-19 vaccinations are covered.

Products

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

Spikevax (Moderna): mRNA vaccine, ages 6 months and older
mNexspike (Moderna): mRNA vaccine, updated platform with lower dosage, ages 12 years and older
Comirnaty (Pfizer): mRNA vaccine, ages 5 years and older
Nuvaxovid (Novavax): protein-based vaccine, ages 12 years and older

The 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccine formulations target currently 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.

Reporting

Providers administering COVID-19 vaccine to adults 19 and older must seek patient consent for reporting to the Citywide Immunization Registry (CIR), similar to other vaccines administered to adults. Work with your electronic health record (EHR) vendor to ensure the consent field is sent from the EHR to CIR.

CIR reporting is required for all vaccines administered to children under 18, including updated COVID-19 vaccines.

Certain adverse events must be reported to the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS).

Vaccines for Uninsured People

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

The Health Department partners with certain health centers to provide no-cost COVID-19 and flu vaccination services to adults who are uninsured and underinsured.

The NYC Health Map lists sites offering no-cost vaccine.

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:

New York State Executive Order No. 52: Declaring a Disaster in the State of New York Due to Federal Actions Related to Vaccine Access

The Executive Order accomplishes the following:

For patients who meet the FDA-approved indications (on-label usage):

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):

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 ages 3 years and older.

Authorizes pharmacists to administer COVID-19 vaccines in accordance with a patient-specific order.

Allows pharmacists to prescribe COVID-19 vaccinations for patients 3 years and older.

This is a new authority. See New York State guidance for pharmacists to prescribe patient-specific orders for off-label usage of COVID-19 vaccine.

Email nycimmunize@health.nyc.gov with questions. Providers can also call 347-396-2400 for general questions and 347-396-2489 for VFC program-specific questions.