WHO position paper on COVID-19 vaccines - July 2026

Overview

This WHO Position Paper updates WHO recommendations on the use of COVID-19 vaccines in the context of sustained SARS-CoV-2 circulation, high levels of population immunity, and the availability of variant-adapted vaccines.

Developed following recommendations by the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization, it summarizes current evidence on COVID-19 epidemiology, populations at increased risk of severe disease, vaccine characteristics, immunogenicity, effectiveness, safety, and programme implementation.

The paper presents WHO’s current policy recommendations for the use of COVID-19 vaccines across different population groups and settings, addressing vaccine schedules, product choice, coadministration, implementation considerations, and monitoring.

It also identifies evidence gaps and research priorities and provides guidance to support national immunization policies and vaccination programmes as countries integrate COVID-19 vaccination into long-term disease management strategies.