Overview

• The order allows vaccinations without a doctor's prescription and authorizes pharmacists to administer the shots, with clinicians able to issue standing orders.
• Pharmacists are permitted to prescribe the vaccine themselves under the directive, extending immediate access across retail locations.
• The declaration runs through Oct. 5 and can be renewed every 30 days, as the governor says lawmakers will craft a long‑term access plan next year.
• New York's move responds to federal changes that restricted no‑prescription eligibility to people 65 and older or those with certain conditions, a shift tied to Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.; HHS says access remains via the doctor‑patient relationship.
• Officials cited recent increases in COVID cases and hospitalizations, and CVS indicated it will offer shots broadly at its New York stores while national guidance from ACIP is still pending.