If you’re living with eczema, it’s still important to protect yourself from COVID-19, especially as new variants spread. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved a new set of COVID-19 vaccines for the 2025-2026 season, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has released updated vaccine guidance.

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Here’s what you should know about this year’s booster: how it works, who qualifies, and how to make a plan with your care team.

1. New Boosters Target the LP.8.1 Variant This Season

The COVID-19 vaccines are reformulated each year to better match the most commonly circulating virus strains. For the 2025-2026 season, the FDA directed vaccine manufacturers to update their formulas using a monovalent JN.1 lineage, specifically the LP.8.1 strain.

The FDA has approved 2025-2026 booster formulas for:

• Pfizer’s Comirnaty — A messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine for people ages 5 to 64 with at least one health condition that increases the risk of severe COVID-19, and for all adults 65 and older
• Moderna’s Spikevax — An mRNA vaccine for people ages 6 months to 64 years with a high-risk health condition, and for all adults 65 and older
• Moderna mNexspike — A lower-dose mRNA vaccine for people ages 12 to 64 with a high-risk health condition, and for all adults 65 and older
• Novavax’s Nuvaxovid — An adjuvanted, protein-based vaccine for people ages 12 to 64 with a high-risk health condition, and for all adults 65 and older

How Are the Boosters Different?

The main difference is how they’re made. Pfizer and Moderna use mRNA technology, which gives your cells instructions to make a harmless piece of the virus so your immune system learns to fight it. The Novavax vaccine is protein-based (a more traditional vaccine type). It delivers a purified piece of the virus protein with an adjuvant to boost your immune response.

For most people, any of the three options offers similar protection against severe illness. All are approved for high-risk groups, including people with amyloidosis.

2. People With Amyloidosis May Be at Higher Risk of Severe COVID-19

COVID-19 doesn’t just affect the lungs. It can trigger widespread inflammation and disrupt immune responses throughout the body. For people living with amyloidosis, risk varies by type and treatment.

If you are living with amyloidosis, you may be at higher risk of severe illness from COVID-19 if:

• You have cardiac involvement — Cardiac amyloidosis is a form of heart disease, and major cardiology groups recommend seasonal COVID-19 vaccination for adults with heart disease to reduce hospitalization, cardiovascular events, and long COVID. Recent research suggests mRNA COVID-19 vaccines are safe and protective in cardiac amyloidosis.
• You’re receiving immune-suppressing or immune-depleting therapy — Many with AL amyloidosis receive systemic corticosteroids, proteasome inhibitors, anti-CD38 antibodies (e.g., daratumumab), or undergo allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT). These can make vaccines less effective and increase the risk of infection.
• You have other health conditions linked to worse COVID-19 outcomes — These may include older age, lung or kidney disease, diabetes, or obesity.

Can COVID-19 Be Cured?

While most people recover fully from a COVID-19 infection, some develop long COVID, a condition where symptoms persist or reappear weeks or even months after the initial infection. These may include fatigue, brain fog, shortness of breath, and joint pain.

There are treatments available for COVID-19, including antiviral medications like nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (Paxlovid), remdesivir (Veklury), and molnupiravir (Lagevrio). These treatments work best when started early, ideally within the first few days of symptoms.

Not everyone can take these medications. They may interact with other prescriptions or be unsafe for people with certain health conditions. Your doctor can help determine whether one of these treatments is right for you.

3. Health Experts Agree COVID-19 Vaccines Are Safe for People With Amyloidosis

Leading health authorities, including the American College of Cardiology and the American Society of Hematology (ASH), agree that COVID-19 vaccines are safe and recommended for people living with heart disease, including amyloidosis. For cardiac amyloidosis specifically, a multicenter analysis reports favorable safety with protection against infection after mRNA vaccination.

Health experts recommend that people with amyloidosis:

• Stay up to date with COVID-19 vaccines — Everyone 6 months and older should follow the current season’s schedule. If you’re moderately or severely immunocompromised (for example, on prolonged high-dose steroids, anti-CD38 therapy, multiple-agent chemotherapy, or within a period after HCT), the CDC provides an adjusted schedule that may include additional doses.
• Know that the vaccines are not live — COVID-19 vaccines available in the U.S. are not live and are appropriate for people on most amyloidosis treatments.
• Know they may need extra doses if you’re on plasma-cell-directed therapy or recently had HCT — Because these therapies can blunt vaccine responses, clinicians often use the CDC’s immunocompromised schedule and discuss extra doses. ASH emphasizes combining vaccination with prompt testing and early antiviral treatment if you get COVID-19.
• Talk to their amyloidosis care team — Your team can help time vaccination around chemotherapy cycles or HCT milestones and review whether you qualify for early outpatient COVID-19 antivirals if infected. Cardiology guidance supports vaccination in cardiac amyloidosis to help lower both COVID-19 and cardiovascular risks.
• Keep taking their prescribed amyloidosis medicines — Vaccination should proceed without unnecessary delays for people on immunosuppressive therapy, and disease-directed therapy should continue as clinically indicated.

Separately, the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recommended that people decide whether to get a COVID-19 vaccination based on individual decision-making. This approach is similar to guidance around the annual flu shot: You and your doctor can work together to decide what’s right for you.

4. If You’re Living With Amyloidosis, Timing Matters

If you’re considering the updated COVID-19 vaccine, here are important timing steps to talk through with your care team:

• Ask if you qualify based on your age and health history.
• Plan around your treatment cycles. Your doctor may recommend receiving the vaccine when your immune system is more stable.
• Check the timing of your last COVID-19 dose. The updated booster should be given at least two months after your most recent shot.

You can also add extra layers of protection by:

• Wearing a high-quality mask in crowded or poorly ventilated spaces
• Practicing frequent and thorough hand-washing
• Improving ventilation by opening windows or using air filters
• Testing right away if you have symptoms or believe you’ve been exposed

These added steps help lower your risk during treatment weeks or in high-risk situations.

5. Your Doctor Can Help Personalize Your Plan

Every person’s journey is different, and so is their COVID-19 risk. Your care team can help you figure out:

• When to get the updated vaccine
• How it fits into your treatment schedule
• What precautions make the most sense for your lifestyle and health goals

Bringing the FDA guidance with you to your next doctor visit can be helpful. It gives you and your provider a starting point to talk about timing, eligibility, and any questions you may have.

6. Most Insurance Plans Cover COVID-19 Boosters

If the CDC recommends a COVID-19 booster for you, most insurance plans, including Medicare, Medicaid, and private health insurance, will cover it at no cost. This includes the updated vaccines for the 2025-2026 season. Coverage generally applies as long as the shot is given by a provider in your insurance network.

That said, plan details can vary. Call your insurance provider or check your plan’s website to confirm coverage and avoid any surprises. If you don’t have medical insurance, free COVID-19 vaccines may still be available through public health clinics or federal programs.

Find Your Team

On MyAmyloidosisTeam, people share their experiences with amyloidosis, get advice, and find support from others who understand.

What influenced your choice to get — or not get — the new COVID-19 booster? Let others know in the comments below.