A: For both children and adults, COVID-19 vaccines can be given any time after they are feeling better and are no longer contagious. Two big exceptions: People treated for COVID-19 with monoclonal antibodies OR children who had multisystem inflammatory syndrome (MIS-C) need to wait at least 90 days.
COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for everyone in the US aged 5 years and up, whether or not they have had a COVID-19 infection in the past. Prior infection does give some protection against future infections, but it is highly variable. Vaccines, on the other hand, give good reliable protection AND have been shown to be both safe and effective for people who already had COVID.
Many people have had infections and are wondering when they can get their vaccines. There is no minimal interval after getting sick to get either dose of the primary series or the booster shot.
People need to wait until they have recovered from their illness and have met criteria to stop isolating. For most people, isolation can end after 10 days from the first symptom, symptoms have gotten better, and are fever free without medications for at least 24 hours. For adults who got sick between your primary series and your booster, you will need to wait until your booster is actually due to get the shot (6 months after the last dose of either Pfizer or Moderna or 2 months after the Johnson & Johnson shot).
There are few groups that this is a little different for:
1) To get COVID-19 vaccinated, kids who had Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) from a COVID-19 infection need to be feeling better, heart function needs to be back normal (sometimes it can be decreased with MIS-C) and wait at least 90 days since diagnosis. Families should talk to their clinicians the COVID-19 vaccine for these children.
2) People who were treated for COVID-19 infections with monoclonal antibodies need to wait 90 days before their first or next dose of the COVID-19 vaccine.
3) People who were given monoclonal antibodies to prevent infection after a high-risk exposure to COVID-19 only need to wait 30 days before vaccination.
If you have any questions, talk with your primary care clinician! They can help steer you in the right direction.
Keep ‘em coming!
Stay Safe. Stay Sane.
Those Nerdy Girls
Links:
COVID-19 vaccination and SARS-CoV-2 infection
Ending Isolation and Precautions for People with COVID-19: Interim Guidance
