New recommendations are complicating access to the COVID-19 vaccine as pharmacies restrict access. CVS and Walgreens recently announced changes in how they will administer the vaccine.
CVS told WDSU in an email that doctors’ prescriptions will now be required for COVID-19 vaccines in certain states. This is their full statement:
State pharmacy laws govern where we can currently vaccinate. Based on FDA approval, we currently can offer FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines in the following states: AK, AL, AR, CA, CO, CT, DE, HI, IA, ID, IL, IN, KS, KY, MA, MD, MI, MN, MO, MS, MT, NE, ND, NH, NJ, OH, OK, OR, PA, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, VT, WA, WI, and WY. (Prescriptions are not needed.)
Once ACIP acts on the updated COVID-19 vaccines or states take additional action to authorize pharmacy dispensing prior to ACIP recommendations, we’ll be able to offer the FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines in the remaining states.
Right now, dependent on state law, we can offer the updated COVID-19 vaccines to patients, depending on their age, prior to ACIP action, if they present an authorized prescriber’s prescription. Those states are – AZ, DC, FL, GA, LA, ME, NC, NM, NY, UT, VA, WV.
Appointments can be scheduled online via CVS.com, through the CVS Health app, or patients can walk into our pharmacies and clinics.
Walgreens also issued a statement saying in part:
I can confirm that 2025-26 COVID-19 vaccines are currently available at Walgreens pharmacies in Louisiana for eligible populations with an authorized prescriber’s prescription. Patients can ask their pharmacist about prescription options or reach out directly to their provider.
The FDA recently recommended the COVID-19 shot primarily for people 65 and older and younger individuals with underlying conditions that put them at risk of serious complications. Historically, the CDC’s vaccine advisory panel, formerly the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP), has issued recommendations to ensure vaccines are safe and effective.
Some residents worry the prescription requirement will make it harder for people without primary care doctors or health insurance to access the vaccine, especially as we enter the season where respiratory viruses spike.
READ MORE:New rules restrict COVID-19 vaccine access in Louisiana
