COVID

The governor’s new standing order enables pharmacists to administer the boosters to “all eligible persons” without CDC approval.

Governor Maura Healey has directed the Department of Public Health (DPH) to implement a standing order, announced Wednesday, allowing anyone aged 5 and older in Massachusetts to receive a COVID-19 booster shot, irrespective of federal limitations.

This standing order empowers pharmacists to provide the COVID vaccine to “all eligible persons.” Additionally, standing orders for physicians to assess eligibility and document vaccine administration are accessible on the DPH website.

Up until now, the FDA has only greenlit the latest seasonal COVID vaccines for those aged 65 and above or younger individuals with health conditions that heighten their risk. Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had previously declared in May that the CDC would stop recommending vaccines for healthy children and pregnant women.

“Regardless of what happens with Robert Kennedy and the federal stance, our commitment is to ensure vaccines remain accessible in Massachusetts,” Healey stated on Wednesday. “Following my directive, our Public Health Commissioner issued an order to maintain vaccine availability in pharmacies for Massachusetts residents. We are striving to have pharmacies provide the vaccine as quickly as possible.”

The newly imposed restrictions are part of a series of anti-vaccine measures enacted by Kennedy, who dismissed all members of the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices earlier this year. In August, he withdrew $500 million and halted 22 projects aimed at developing mRNA vaccines.

The repercussions of Kennedy’s actions against the COVID vaccine are beginning to manifest across various states, including Massachusetts. Recently, CVS confirmed that it would not offer the vaccine in 16 states and the District of Columbia due to the “current regulatory environment.”

Without recommendations from the Advisory Committee, securing a booster shot has become significantly more challenging in certain states. However, as long as the standing order is active, pharmacists in Massachusetts can administer the booster without the necessity of CDC panel approval.

This order allows pharmacists to provide Moderna’s mNEXSPIKE vaccine and Novavax’s Nuvaxovid vaccine for individuals aged 12 and up. For children aged 5 to 11, they can offer Moderna’s Spikevax vaccine or Pfizer’s COMIRNATY vaccine.