On Friday, the governors of Arizona, Illinois, Maine, and North Carolina added their names to a growing number of Democratic leaders who have issued orders to facilitate access to COVID-19 vaccines at pharmacies without requiring individual prescriptions.
Access to COVID-19 vaccines, quite frankly, has become a bit more tangled this year, particularly since federal guidelines have shifted and don’t recommend vaccines for most people as they did previously.
So, here’s a snapshot of the current situation.
Pharmacies say vaccines are available in many states without prescriptions
According to CVS Health, the largest pharmacy chain in the U.S., its stores are now providing vaccines without individual prescriptions in 41 states as of midday Friday.
However, the remaining states — including Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, North Carolina, Oregon, Utah, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia — still require individual prescriptions, as interpreted by the company based on state laws.
Arizona, Maine, and North Carolina are expected to be removed from that list soon as new orders take effect.
“I won’t just stand by while the Trump Administration complicates vaccine access for the residents of Maine,” said Maine Governor Janet Mills. “With this standing order, we’re working to eliminate the barriers posed by the Trump Administration to ensure the health and welfare of our citizens.”
Democratic governors are taking steps
At least 14 states, predominantly those with Democratic governors — plus Virginia, under Republican Governor Glenn Youngkin — have rolled out policies this month to broaden access to vaccines.
In some of the states that have eased access, like Delaware and New Jersey earlier in the week, and Illinois on Friday, some pharmacies had already been providing vaccines widely.
Friday’s new orders are likely to revise policies in the states where they were enacted.
North Carolina’s orders are more limited, applying only to individuals aged 65 and over and to those 18 and older with specific risk factors. Other adults will still need prescriptions, and officials noted that while the order takes effect immediately, pharmacies might not have stock available right away.
Even though many Republican-led states haven’t adjusted their vaccine policies recently, vaccinations are still accessible under existing rules.
Alongside the recent actions from governors, four states—California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington—have formed an alliance to create their own vaccine recommendations. Out of these, Oregon is the only one that still requires individual prescriptions for vaccines at pharmacies.
Vaccines have become a polarizing topic
In earlier years, the federal government recommended COVID-19 vaccinations for all Americans over six months old.
This year, however, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved vaccines specifically for individuals aged 65 and up, recommending them primarily for children and young adults with risk factors like asthma or obesity.
This shift was prompted after Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy dismissed the entire Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in June, accusing them of having too close ties to vaccine manufacturers. The new appointees include some who are skeptical about vaccines.
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs characterized her order on Friday as a measure to safeguard the healthcare autonomy of residents in the state.
Florida takes a different approach
This month, Florida’s surgeon general, Dr. Joseph Ladapo, indicated that the state may be the first to remove vaccine requirements for children.
However, the state health department later clarified that this change wouldn’t likely be implemented until December and that, without legislative action, only a few vaccines, including that for chickenpox, would become optional, while measles and polio immunizations would still be mandatory.
