Overview

• The FDA approved updated COVID-19 vaccines for the fall but limited routine eligibility to adults 65 and older and younger people with qualifying medical conditions.
• Access now varies by location, with reports of pharmacies in states such as Arizona and Colorado requiring prescriptions while others allow self-attestation of risk conditions when booking.
• Governors and health officials in Massachusetts, New York, Pennsylvania, Colorado and New Mexico issued actions to ensure residents can receive the shots at pharmacies before new federal guidance is set.
• California, Oregon, Washington and Hawaii created a West Coast Health Alliance to develop their own immunization guidance as HHS leadership changes have unsettled federal agencies.
• The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices meets Sept. 18–19 to vote on recommendations that could determine insurance and federal payment as COVID-19 rates rise heading into flu season.