The World Health Organization has issued a new global position paper on COVID-19 vaccination, providing updated guidance for countries as SARS-CoV-2 continues to circulate while population immunity remains high.

Published in July 2026, the WHO document replaces earlier interim guidance and reflects the changing nature of the pandemic, the availability of variant-adapted vaccines and the growing understanding of which groups face the greatest risk from severe COVID-19.

Focus Shifts Toward Long-Term Protection

WHO’s latest recommendations come several years after the emergency phase of the COVID-19 pandemic ended. Rather than treating the disease solely as an emergency threat, the organization is now emphasizing its integration into longer-term health and vaccination programmes.

The agency says COVID-19 continues to cause hospitalizations and deaths, particularly among older adults, people with significant medical conditions and individuals with weakened immune systems.

The updated guidance therefore places greater emphasis on maintaining protection among people most likely to develop serious illness.

Countries Given Flexibility

WHO is not imposing a single vaccination schedule for every country.

Instead, governments are encouraged to consider their own COVID-19 situation, population characteristics, vaccine availability, cost-effectiveness and the practical ability of their health systems to deliver vaccination.

This approach recognizes that the burden of COVID-19 differs substantially between countries and population groups.

National health authorities can therefore adapt vaccination programmes according to local conditions while using WHO’s evidence-based recommendations as a framework.

Older Adults Remain a Priority

The updated guidance identifies older people as one of the key groups for routine COVID-19 vaccination.

WHO says countries should consider routine vaccination for the oldest adults, with the exact age threshold determined nationally. Older people who also have significant health conditions or severe obesity are another important priority group.

The focus reflects evidence showing that the risk of severe disease increases substantially with age and certain underlying conditions.

Pregnancy Also Receives Attention

Pregnant women remain an important group in the updated recommendations.

WHO advises countries to consider one COVID-19 vaccine dose during each pregnancy, including for women who have not previously been vaccinated or whose previous vaccination was more than six months earlier. The organization says vaccination during pregnancy can help protect the mother against severe disease and may also provide antibodies to the infant.

The recommendation can be implemented at any stage of pregnancy, although WHO indicates that the second trimester may be preferable.

What About Children?

The new guidance takes a more targeted approach to vaccination among young children.

WHO says countries may consider routine vaccination for previously unvaccinated healthy children between 6 and 23 months of age when there is evidence of a significant disease burden in that age group. Routine revaccination is not generally recommended for these children.

This reflects the broader shift toward prioritizing people most likely to benefit from vaccination against severe outcomes.

Vaccines Continue to Protect Against Severe Disease

WHO says currently available mRNA and protein-subunit COVID-19 vaccines have an acceptable safety profile and continue to provide meaningful protection against severe disease and death.

The agency notes that more than 13 billion COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered worldwide, providing a substantial body of safety experience.

However, protection against severe outcomes can decline over time, which is one reason periodic vaccination may be beneficial for people at higher risk.

Virus Evolution Remains Important

SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve, meaning vaccine composition needs to be reviewed periodically.

WHO’s Technical Advisory Group on COVID-19 Vaccine Composition monitors changes in circulating variants and evaluates whether vaccine formulations need updating. The organization says its recommendations are designed to remain applicable to new variant-adapted vaccines unless major changes in the virus or vaccine performance require a policy revision.

The continued evolution of the virus means global health authorities must maintain surveillance even though the emergency phase of the pandemic has ended.

A New Phase of COVID-19 Management

The latest WHO position paper represents another step in the transition from emergency pandemic response toward sustainable management of COVID-19.

Governments are being encouraged to incorporate vaccination into routine health systems rather than relying exclusively on emergency campaigns.

The approach also reflects the reality that COVID-19 has not disappeared. Instead, the global objective has shifted toward reducing severe illness, protecting vulnerable populations and maintaining preparedness for future changes in the virus.

WHO says the recommendations can be revised if new variants of concern emerge, COVID-19 epidemiology changes significantly or new evidence shows that vaccine performance requires a different strategy.

For health authorities around the world, the message is increasingly clear: COVID-19 remains a public-health issue, but vaccination policy should now be guided primarily by risk, evidence and local conditions rather than the emergency measures used during the height of the pandemic.