By Amina Niasse
NEW YORK (Reuters) – The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention last week adopted recommendations from its vaccine advisory panel, signaling official guidance for pharmacists and patients who have been waiting for clarity on updated COVID-19 vaccines.
Before the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices recommendation to allow the vaccine with new restrictions, states like Georgia, Utah and Louisiana were only administering the shots to those with a prescription. Here’s what you need to know:
WHO DOES CDC RECOMMEND FOR COVID BOOSTER?
People 6 months and older can receive the COVID vaccine after consulting with a provider, including pharmacists, doctors, nurses or other health care professionals. The CDC calls this shared clinical decision making.
In May, the COVID vaccine was removed from the CDC’s vaccination schedule for healthy pregnant women, drawing criticism from medical organizations. The CDC’s adoption of its advisory panel’s recommendation to allow injections under shared clinical decision-making somewhat reverses that previous hurdle, as it includes pregnant women.
WHAT DOES THE FDA APPROVAL SAY?
In August, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration restricted the vaccine to everyone age 65 and older and to people ages 6 months to 64 with conditions that put them at high risk for severe illness. The agency had previously identified qualifying conditions, such as cancer and diabetes, as high risk.
However, pharmacists and health plans receive their official vaccination guidance on how to administer and cover vaccines not from the FDA but from the director of the CDC, whose decisions are largely informed by the agency’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.
The ACIP has traditionally been made up of independent vaccine experts, but longtime anti-vaccine activist and now Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. gutted that advisory group and replaced it with hand-picked members.
ARE PHARMACIES APPLYING BOOSTER VACCINES THIS YEAR?
Yes, pharmacies are providing vaccines, but industry organizations have described reduced supply at independent pharmacies where COVID vaccines may be declining. As of last week, pharmacy chains including CVS and Walgreens said customers can receive the vaccine without a prescription nationwide.
DO SOME PEOPLE STILL NEED A PRESCRIPTION?
Following the CDC’s adoption of updated guidance last week, people should not need a prescription to receive the COVID vaccine. All patients are approved through shared clinical decision making, and pharmacists can act as healthcare providers and consult with patients seeking vaccines.
(Reporting by Amina NiasseEditing by Caroline Humer and Bill Berkrot)