Overview

• The American Academy of Family Physicians now recommends COVID vaccination for all adults, children and pregnant people, diverging from the FDA’s narrowed approvals that prioritize those 65+ and younger individuals with qualifying conditions.
• California is endorsing guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and a West Coast alliance of California, Oregon and Washington is developing regional recommendations.
• Access remains uneven as many pharmacies require prescriptions or pause administration, and some patients face out-of-pocket costs of roughly $140 to $150 without clear coverage.
• Health insurers are holding off on final coverage decisions pending CDC/ACIP recommendations, while clinicians in states such as Oregon report hesitancy to prescribe because of liability and reimbursement concerns.
• States are issuing standing orders or temporary authorities to preserve access, including Washington’s statewide order, New York’s pharmacist prescribing authority, and actions in Colorado, Minnesota and Pennsylvania to let pharmacists vaccinate without individual prescriptions.