Free COVID-19 vaccines with most insurance

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends the 2025/26 COVID-19 vaccine for:

• Adults ages 65 and older: Decision-making for vaccination is individually based.
• People ages 6 months to 64 years* at increased risk: Vaccination decisions are individually based and need-focused, emphasizing that vaccination is most beneficial for individuals who are at an increased risk for severe COVID-19 disease and less so for individuals who are not at an increased risk. The CDC lists specific COVID-19 risk factors but also leaves the list open-ended, for people to consult with their medical provider or pharmacist regarding any other conditions or situations that can create a higher risk.

Conditions that put you at higher risk, according to the CDC, include, but are not limited to:

• Being a past or current smoker
• Being physically inactive
• Blood disorders (including sickle cell disease)
• Body Mass Index greater than 25
• Cancer
• Chronic liver disease
• Chronic lung disease, including cystic fibrosis
• Dementia or another neurologic condition
• Diabetes
• Heart disease, including high blood pressure
• HIV or tuberculosis infection
• Kidney disease
• Mental health conditions
• Pregnancy
• Solid organ or blood stem cell transplant
• Substance use disorders
• Weakened immune system
• Any other conditions or situations that place you at high risk of severe illness from COVID-19 (consult with your pharmacist or medical provider if you are unsure)

Updated vaccines will be available from Moderna, Nuvaxovid and Pfizer-BioNTech. COVID-19 vaccine availability will vary based on location and will be reflected on our online vaccine scheduler.

Schedule vaccinations

The COVID-19 vaccine is available at no cost through most insurance plans, including Medicare Part B. Check with your health insurance provider to confirm coverage.

Schedule vaccinations

The COVID-19 vaccine may be no cost to you at CVS® depending on several factors, including your insurance plan. Check with your health insurance provider to confirm coverage. If your insurance does not cover the COVID-19 vaccine at CVS, you can still choose CVS for the COVID-19 vaccine; the cost may range from $224.99 to $249.99. Pricing varies depending on product type and eligibility.

Schedule vaccinations

No. You don’t need a prescription from your doctor. Just schedule an appointment at CVS.com® or through the CVS Pharmacy® app, or walk in where available. Our certified immunizers will create any necessary prescription order during your visit.

The amount and duration of protection from vaccination or infection can vary from person to person. It is expected that protection from the updated vaccine will decline over time. However, vaccination remains the best protection against COVID-19 related hospitalization and death.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) does not prefer the use of any one COVID-19 vaccine over another when more than one recommended and age-appropriate vaccine is available.

For individuals ages 5 and older who are not immunocompromised and have never been vaccinated against COVID-19, the CDC recommends one dose of the updated COVID-19 vaccine based on individual-based decision-making. If you are moderately or severely immunocompromised, it is recommended you receive an initial vaccination series also based on individual-based decision-making. Be sure to speak with your health care provider about the most recent and relevant recommendations.

The Nuvaxovid COVID-19 vaccine is another available vaccine option that does not use mRNA technology. Instead, it combines spike proteins with an adjuvant, which stimulates your immune system. This helps your immune system understand how to fight the COVID-19 virus.

People hesitant about trying mRNA vaccines may consider the Nuvaxovid COVID-19 vaccine. The Nuvaxovid vaccine uses traditional protein subunit technology. The same technology is found in other common vaccines, such as vaccines for hepatitis B and shingles.

An mRNA molecule acts as an instruction guide or recipe book for the body’s cells. Cells use mRNA for specific protein production, and the mRNA is then broken down once the process is complete. This process does not alter DNA.

CVS® offers several mRNA vaccines, including those from Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech. The Nuvaxovid COVID-19 vaccine is a non-mRNA option for vaccination.

When you get an mRNA vaccine, your cells create the same protein that’s part of a specific virus. For example, when you get a COVID-19 vaccine, your cells learn how to make the spike protein. You may also hear the spike protein called an S protein. The S protein sits on the surface of the COVID-19 virus.

After your body creates this S protein, your body treats the protein like an intruder, causing antibodies to form. These antibodies help protect you if you're exposed to COVID-19 later on. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says the COVID-19 vaccine helps protect you from serious disease complications. These complications include hospitalization and death.

Viruses, such as COVID-19 and influenza, can evolve. You should stay up-to-date on your vaccines because circulating variants change. Protection from a vaccine can also decrease over time.

Appointments may be scheduled at CVS.com® or through the CVS Pharmacy app®. CVS Pharmacy® also accepts walk-ins, seven days a week, including during evening and weekend hours.

Yes. Certified immunizers may administer a COVID-19 vaccine and a flu shot during the same visit.

Currently, CVS Pharmacy locations offering the COVID-19 vaccine to eligible populations have either the Moderna, Nuvaxovid or Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine. Patients can see which CVS Pharmacy location has which vaccine and appointment availability on CVS.com® before scheduling.

COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. To date, hundreds of millions of people have received a COVID-19 vaccine under the most intense safety monitoring in U.S. history.

According to guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the same COVID-19 vaccine should be administered when completing an initial series. A different age-appropriate COVID-19 vaccine may be administered under the following circumstances:

• Same vaccine not available at the time of the clinic visit
• Previous dose unknown
• Person would otherwise not receive a recommended vaccine dose
• Person starts but is unable to complete a vaccination series with the same COVID-19 vaccine due to a contraindication

All the COVID-19 vaccines recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are safe. People ages 65 or older can receive the recommended number of dose(s) of the updated COVID-19 vaccine based on individual-based decision-making.

Yes, select CVS Pharmacy® locations carry the following vaccine options:

• For children ages 5 years and older, both Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech formulations are available
• The Nuvaxovid COVID-19 vaccine is also available for children ages 12 years and older

We recommend parents and guardians check CVS.com® or the CVS Health® app® to find locations near them with available appointments.

For children ages 18 months and older, the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine is available at MinuteClinic® locations. Visit MinuteClinic.com to schedule an appointment.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) currently recommends a second dose of the COVID-19 vaccine for people ages 65 years and older, as well as for those who are immunocompromised based on individual-based decision-making. The recommended time between doses 1 and 2 is six months (with a minimum interval of two or three months depending on the formulation type).

Learn more about CDC recommendations for a second dose of COVID-19

The COVID-19 vaccine is available at no cost through most insurance plans, including Medicare Part B.

CVS Pharmacy® and MinuteClinic® can directly bill many national and regional health plans that cover all or part of the cost of a COVID-19 vaccine. Check with your health insurance provider to confirm coverage.

Yes. If you have insurance that does not include CVS as an in-network pharmacy, we recommend you contact your insurance provider to determine where you may obtain a COVID-19 vaccination at no cost to you. Alternatively, you can choose to receive the COVID-19 vaccine at CVS. However, you will be charged between $224.99 and $249.99 for the vaccination.