What State-by-State Rules Mean for Your COVID Shot

"Confusion over vaccine recommendations in the U.S. has hit a boiling point as the responsibility for handling them has spilled onto individual states. Regulators at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Food and Drug Administration have long provided trusted national guidance on who should get certain vaccines and when. But now reports of non-evidence-based policy changes at the federal level, along with fears of reduced access, have led a handful of states to start implementing their own new vaccine policies and programs."

"At center stage: COVID vaccines. Since taking office, Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy, Jr.a longtime supporter of the antivaccine movementhas made a series of alarming moves that have thrown the federal vaccine recommendation process into turmoil. Kennedy removed the COVID shot from the CDC's vaccine schedule for pregnant people and healthy children without input from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), an independent panel of experts that has advised the CDC since 1964."

"Then, last month, he announced that the FDA had approved the 20252026 COVID vaccine only for people aged 65 and older and those with certain underlying health conditions. This means that people who do not fall into these eligible groups may need to obtain a prescription or pay a hefty out-of-pocket bill. The situation could change again, however, because ACIP will vote on recommendations for vaccines for COVID and other illnesses this week."

Confusion over vaccine recommendations in the U.S. has intensified as federal guidance has weakened and states are assuming responsibility for policy decisions. The CDC and FDA historically provided centralized guidance on who should receive vaccines and when. HHS leadership removed the COVID shot from the CDC schedule for pregnant people and healthy children without ACIP input and limited FDA approval for the 2025–2026 COVID vaccine to people aged 65+ and those with certain conditions. Individuals outside those groups may require prescriptions or face out-of-pocket costs. Several states have authorized pharmacists to administer COVID vaccines and required insurer coverage. ACIP will vote on recommendations this week, creating potential further changes.

Read at www.scientificamerican.com