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States Broaden Access to Updated COVID-19 Shots as Federal Limits Create Patchwork

State directives now permit broader pharmacy vaccination despite unresolved CDC recommendations.

A CVS pharmacy in San Francisco displays a sign for fall vaccines, as access to updated COVID-19 shots is becoming more complicated.
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Toms River teachers and staff receive COVID-19 vaccines at Community Medical Center in Toms River, NJ Monday, March 22, 2021.
California is endorsing COVID-19 vaccine recommendations from the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, rather than federal health agencies, state officials said Tuesday.

Overview

  • FDA authorization for 2025–26 COVID-19 vaccines currently covers adults 65 and older and people 6 months and up with qualifying conditions, with ACIP set to vote Sept. 18–19 on national recommendations that drive coverage.
  • New Jersey issued an executive directive allowing anyone 6 months and older to get the updated shot and a standing order letting pharmacists vaccinate without prescriptions, though the state cautions insurance coverage is not guaranteed.
  • California endorsed guidance from major medical groups recommending vaccination for young children and pregnant or lactating people, signaling a wider access stance than current federal limits.
  • Pharmacy access varies widely: CVS vaccinates only eligible groups and requires prescriptions in several jurisdictions, has paused shots in New Mexico, Nevada and Massachusetts, and Walgreens says it will vaccinate where state rules permit.
  • HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s overhaul of the CDC vaccine advisory panel and his claim that “everybody can get” a shot have been challenged by fact-checkers, as clinicians warn confusion and cost barriers are likely to depress uptake.