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2d ago

States Move to Broaden COVID Vaccine Access as FDA Limits Spur Patchwork

A reworked CDC advisory vote next week will shape insurance coverage and pharmacy access.

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

  • Federal regulators cleared updated 2025–26 COVID shots only for people 65 and older and for younger patients with qualifying conditions, leaving many under 65 facing attestations, prescriptions, or potential out-of-pocket costs.
  • New Jersey issued an executive directive allowing vaccination for everyone 6 months and older and a standing order authorizing pharmacists to give the shots without prescriptions.
  • Connecticut announced executive actions that endorse vaccination for all ages, let pharmacists continue to order, prescribe, and administer the shots, and affirm coverage under state‑regulated insurance plans.
  • California endorsed guidance from leading medical groups recommending broader vaccination and joined Oregon and Washington in a regional alliance to coordinate recommendations, with additional state implementation steps expected.
  • Pharmacies and insurers report inconsistent rules and limited scheduling as they await ACIP recommendations on Sept. 18–19, and a new fact-check rated Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s claim that “everybody can get” a COVID vaccine as mostly false.