Who Should Get The Vaccine?
COVID-19 Vaccine - Who Should Get The Vaccine?
Below are frequently asked questions related to who should get the COVID-19 vaccine. Click on another category to the left to see more FAQs.
For more information on coronavirus, visit uclahealth.org/coronavirus.
For most people, the answer is yes. The vaccine is currently authorized for use in people 6 months of age and older.
You should talk to your health care provider before receiving the COVID-19 vaccine if any of the following apply:
- You have severe allergies to medications
- You have a bleeding disorder
- You are on a blood thinner
- You are immunocompromised
- You are on a medication that affects your immune system
- You are pregnant
- You have a fever
- You have received another COVID-19 vaccine
You should also talk to your doctor if you have any questions, either in general or specific to your medical history.
You should not get the vaccine if you have had a severe allergic reaction to any ingredient in the vaccine, or if you had a severe allergic reaction to a previous dose of the vaccine.
You should not get the vaccine if you have had a severe allergic reaction to any ingredient in the vaccine, or if you had a severe allergic reaction to a previous dose of the vaccine.
You can find the ingredients and fact sheets for the Pfizer-BioNTech, Moderna, Novavax and Johnson & Johnson vaccines on the UCLA Health vaccine info hub webpage.
Yes. If you recently received monoclonal antibody therapy or convalescent plasma to treat a COVID-19 infection, you should defer your vaccination for at least 90 days from when you last received that therapy. If you received this therapy after your first vaccine dose but before your second, you should defer your second dose for at least 90 days following receipt of the therapy.
If you are receiving antibody therapies not specific to COVID-19 treatment, such as intravenous immunoglobulin, you do not need to wait to receive the COVID-19 vaccination.
Yes! COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for all people 6 months and older, including people who are pregnant, lactating, trying to get pregnant now, or plan to become pregnant in the future. The available COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective, and there is no evidence that any of them affect current or future fertility. If you have questions, please talk to your obstetrician, midwife, or family physician.
Yes. The COVID-19 vaccine should be offered to people who are lactating/breastfeeding. Although lactating individuals were not part of the vaccine clinical trials, based on experience with other vaccines, the benefits of vaccine outweigh any safety concerns. You do not have to delay or stop breastfeeding if you receive the COVID-19 vaccine.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists offers additional guidance on this topic.
Yes, you can safely get the Pfizer or Moderna COVID-19 vaccine if you’ve received injectable dermal fillers. Infrequently, people who have received dermal fillers may develop swelling at or near the site of filler injection (usually in the face or lips) after a dose of the COVID-19 vaccine. This appears to be temporary and can resolve with medical treatment, including corticosteroid therapy. Please reach out to your primary care physician if you have any questions.
In most cases, yes. People with medical problems can and should receive the vaccine if they do not have a severe allergy to the ingredients in the vaccine. This includes people living with HIV, autoimmune disorders, such as Lupus, or any other medical problem that leads to a weakened immune system. The CDC also recommends that certain people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised receive a third (supplemental) dose of a mRNA vaccine to improve their protection. If you have questions, please talk to your doctor.
Yes. If you are a transplant recipient, you should get vaccinated as soon as possible. Additionally, the CDC recommends that people who are moderately to severely immunocompromised, including anyone who has received an organ transplant and is taking medicine to suppress their immune system, receive a third (supplemental) dose of a mRNA vaccine (Pfizer or Moderna).
If you have any questions, please reach out to your doctor. For additional guidance on this topic, please see information from The Transplantation Society and the American Society of Transplantation.
In general, the answer is yes. COVID-19 poses a much greater risk to your health than the risks posed by vaccination. There may be special circumstances in which individuals awaiting a transplant should not be vaccinated, such as if they had a very recent transplant or are receiving treatment for transplant organ rejection or allergic reactions. Please contact your transplant team before you receive any vaccination.