Overview

• New York’s executive order authorizes pharmacists to prescribe and administer COVID-19 shots without a doctor’s prescription for people 3 and older, effective for 30 days, and the governor said she will extend it if needed.
• The FDA approved updated vaccines only for those 65 and older and for younger people with qualifying conditions, curtailing the broad walk‑in access seen in prior seasons.
• Access varies widely: CVS says no prescription is needed in 38 states, prescriptions are required in 11 states plus Washington, D.C., and shots cannot be given at its pharmacies in Nevada.
• Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. told senators that “everybody can get” the vaccine, a statement PolitiFact rated Mostly False given state rules, prescription requirements, and insurance uncertainty.
• ACIP meets Sept. 18–19 to set CDC recommendations that influence insurance coverage and pharmacy rules, while states like Massachusetts and West Coast partners move to maintain or independently review access.