Off-label use of COVID-19 vaccines was once discouraged but has become common amid new guidelines

Getting a COVID-19 vaccine is trickier now than in years past, but still possible. d3sign/Moment via Getty Images

Following the federal government’s changes to COVID-19 vaccine eligibility and recommendations in 2025, many people are wondering whether they can get COVID-19 vaccines for themselves or their children.

In May 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration limited eligibility for updated COVID-19 vaccines to people ages 65 years and up and to those under 65 with a “high-risk” condition. In September, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention adopted an “individualized decision-making” approach to COVID-19 vaccination instead of broadly recommending the vaccines.