CVS, Walgreens now require prescriptions for COVID vaccines in Colorado

People who want to get an updated COVID- vaccine at CVS or Walgreens pharmacies in Colorado this fall will need to present a prescription State law allows pharmacists to administer vaccines recommended by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices a group that counsels the director of the Centers for Sickness Control and Prevention about who will benefit from which shots In previous years the committee recommended updated COVID- vaccines within days of the U S Food and Drug Administration approving them This year the committee doesn t have any meetings scheduled until late September and may not recommend the shot when it does meet since Secretary of Soundness and Human Services Robert F Kennedy Jr appointed multiple members with anti-vaccine views after removing all prior appointees in June The lack of a recommendation also means that insurance companies aren t legally required to pay for the COVID- vaccine without out-of-pocket costs Majority private insurers will cover the updated shots this year though that could change in according to Reuters Initially CVS announced it couldn t give the COVID- vaccine to anyone in Colorado or other states because of their ACIP-approval requirement As of Friday morning its pharmacies can offer the shots to eligible people who have a prescription spokeswoman Amy Thibault noted As of about a m Friday CVS s website wouldn t allow visitors to schedule COVID- shots in Colorado Walgreens didn t respond to questions about its COVID- vaccine procedures but its website explained patients need a prescription in Colorado A New York Times reporter detected the same in other states The FDA this week recommended the updated shots only for people who are over or have a soundness condition that puts them at peril for severe illness The listed conditions include Asthma and other lung diseases Cancer History of stroke or syndrome in the brain s blood vessels Chronic kidney malady Liver ailment Cystic fibrosis Diabetes all types Developmental disabilities such as Down syndrome Heart problems Mental medical conditions including depression and schizophrenia Dementia Parkinson s affection Obesity Physical inactivity Current or latest pregnancy Diseases or medications that impair the immune system Smoking Related Articles Why getting a COVID- vaccine is likely to be more complicated this year Despite federal shift state strength authorities encourage COVID vaccines for pregnant women Shooter attacked CDC headquarters to protest COVID- vaccines Healthy people technically still can get the vaccine but would have to ask a wellbeing care provider to prescribe it off-label An off-label prescription refers to one given for a condition the drug isn t approved to treat such as a blood-pressure drug prescribed to prevent migraines Not everyone has a regular wellbeing care provider or the inclination to take time out of their day for an office visit though Insurers also vary in their willingness to cover off-label prescriptions Sign up for our weekly newsletter to get soundness news sent straight to your inbox