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New York will give pharmacists cover to dispense COVID-19 vaccines this fall in the wake of uncertainty over federal immunization policy, a state official said.
Gov. Kathy Hochul is expected to sign an executive order Friday that will allow pharmacists to prescribe and administer COVID-19 vaccines. The Democratic governor is taking the action “so families who want protection can get it quickly, safely and close to home,” according to spokesperson Kara Cumoletti.
“Governor Hochul is making it clear that when Washington Republicans play politics with public health, New Yorkers [will] still be able to make their own health care decisions and get the care they need from trusted providers in their community,” Cumoletti said.
Hochul’s plans were first reported by Politico.
Under current state law, pharmacists can only dispense vaccines that are authorized by the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, which is part of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
But several state lawmakers are pushing bills to reduce New York’s reliance on CDC guidance. Legislators said they’re responding to recent actions by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a longtime vaccine skeptic.
In June, Kennedy replaced the committee’s members. The panel has not yet issued recommendations on COVID-19 vaccine eligibility for this fall. Last month, the Food and Drug Administration, also under Kennedy’s purview, approved COVID-19 boosters, but only for people 65 and older or those with preexisting medical conditions.
Kennedy said the new limits balanced “safety, science and common sense.” Medical groups objected, and the American Academy of Pediatrics broke with the federal government, recommending shots for a broader population.
More than half of New Yorkers get their COVID-19 shots at pharmacies. But major chains, including CVS and Walgreens, are requiring individual prescriptions this year for people seeking a jab.
Assemblymember John McDonald, a Democrat from Albany County who owns a pharmacy, said some primary care providers aren’t offering the vaccines due to cost. He said pharmacists will still need to follow FDA guidelines.
“I think this is going to calm a lot of concerns,” he said. “We know this is the time of year when flu and COVID numbers are rising.”
Hochul’s move follows similar actions by other Democratic governors. On Thursday, Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey signed an order requiring health insurers to cover the cost of vaccinations at pharmacies.
Democratic governors on the West Coast have also allied to issue their own public health guidance.
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Jimmy Vielkind
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