Fall Covid vaccinations eligibility narrowed down by CDC panel's decision
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has recently announced new guidelines for the distribution of Covid-19 vaccines, limiting the shots to people aged 65 and older and those with underlying health conditions in the United States. This decision, if cleared by the acting director, narrows the agency's earlier stance, which called for the shot to be offered to everyone 6 months and older.
The CDC's recommendation aligns with the Food and Drug Administration's approval in August, which cleared the shots for people 65 and up and those with underlying health conditions. However, Medicare has its own guidelines outside of ACIP and can decide to keep covering the shots for people 65 and older.
People under 65 are advised to consult with their doctor about getting a Covid shot. If they are not part of the eligible groups, they may still be able to get a Covid shot from a doctor's office or at a hospital. Pharmacists generally have fewer legal protections compared to doctors and hospitals, so most are hesitant to step outside the CDC's recommendations.
The CDC's advisory panel did not vote on whether to recommend the shot for pregnant women, deferring the decision to CDC officials. The mRNA Covid vaccines are a particular target among anti-vaccine activists, with several states introducing legislation that would ban mRNA vaccines. The CDC states that the mRNA Covid vaccines are safe and do not alter DNA.
The health insurance industry's trade group AHIP has pledged that insurers will keep covering the shots ACIP had recommended before this week's meeting. The coverage situation for people outside AHIP plans, like Medicaid enrollees, isn't yet clear. An HHS spokesperson said they should have coverage.
The decision by the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) comes after the panel moved to restrict access to a measles-mumps-rubella vaccine known as MMRV. In many states, pharmacists can only give Covid shots if they follow ACIP's guidelines, and going outside those recommendations can land them in legal trouble.
The CDC estimates that since October 2024, the virus has led to hundreds of thousands of hospitalizations and 42,000 to 60,000 deaths nationwide, largely in older adults. Major pharmacy chains, including CVS and Walgreens, are holding off on giving the shots or requiring a prescription, awaiting the CDC's official guidance.
Some states, including California and Oregon, have sought to get around this and ensure access by setting their own guidance on vaccines for respiratory illnesses like Covid. The CDC's website lists dozens of conditions either linked to or suggestive of higher risk for severe Covid illness, including asthma, cancer, heart conditions, diabetes, obesity, pregnancy, depression, Down syndrome, and autism.
Doctors can still offer the vaccine off label, referring to the practice of prescribing a medication for a different purpose than what the FDA has approved it for. The CDC's recommendation, if cleared by the acting director, will likely have a significant impact on the ongoing Covid-19 vaccination efforts in the United States.
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