PSA: Likely COVID Vax Restrictions by 9/19/25

Thanks, Hannah for the additional information. Got my updated Covid and this year's flu vax last Monday preparing to travel about 10 days from now so wanted the 2-week lead time PLUS I live in Idaho and am never sure what is going to go on with health care issues here.

Thanks from me, too, Hannah! I got the flu and current Covid shots on Wednesday which doesn’t give me full lead time before my flight today, but hopefully some protection until it kicks in.

At least my arm is no longer sore. 😄

Pam, Yay! (And same here in my state)

Mardee, I think my husband might start charging me every time I reference my poor aching arm LOL. (And happy travels to you!!! 🇷🇴)

Emoji are back?! 😮 😬 😳

At least temporarily! Take advantage!! 🥳😜😎

Thank you Hannah, just made appointment for today at CVS for new 25-26 vaccine, would be getting it anyway now I’ll have it over and Insurance covered.

Last week the Costco pharmacy in Issaquah, WA was administering the Pfizer Comirnaty 2025-2026 vax shots in store, just walk up, do the paper work and get the shot. Same for the Flu shot. Very convenient for members.

We got ours today! Thanks for the information, Hannah. I sent it on to my kids, most of whom have high-risk conditions.

Thanks. Just scheduled for Wednesday. Will travel in 2 months but be around large group of people in 2 weeks.

Bella and Katiecem, I'm thrilled; you've both just made my day!

wendellrm, I love hearing just how easy it is (as it should be) in the states whose governors have taken those steps!

ETA: CanAmCherie Yay! So glad the information was helpful!

Thanks, Hannah! My husband and I just received our Covid and flu vaccines after reading your post. Scheduled at Walgreens with no problem. We leave on Monday for our trip! We are both under 75, so wanted to be sure we were covered.

Thanks for the update. I scheduled mine for Tuesday of this week. I’m not 100% sure what high-risk condition I’m going to attest to, but I think the fact that I’m the primary caregiver for an 89-year-old should qualify. I’m a week out from my 65th birthday and I was thinking about changing it to after that so I didn’t have to lie, but I’m going to lie.

Carol--

You may want to wait on the flu shot and get the extra strength version folks 65+ get

MarKS13, Hooray! My public-health loving self is so happy to have helped!

Carol, oh I'm so glad you mentioned that so I can clarify: at CVS (and I'm highly confident at Walgreens, too), you simply check the box attesting to a high-risk condition, but you are NOT required to specify which condition(s) specifically (nor provide any "proof"). Between now and 9/19/25, any self-attested, non-specified high-risk condition grants you access to the vaccine, independent of your age. For example, I'm 44 and my husband 47; we both scheduled online, self-attesting to a high-risk condition -- without having to specify which one -- and were then able to schedule. (We do not live in one of the states requiring a covid vaccine prescription.) When I went for mine yesterday, no additional information was asked of me; they simply gave me the shot.

I'd caution that this information is highly dependent on where you live and what health insurer you have. For example, in Oregon and Washington, Kaiser Permanente will vaccinate any of their members 6 months and older starting 9/15 (source: https://healthy.kaiserpermanente.org/oregon-washington/health-wellness/coronavirus-information/vaccine-appointments). As I am not a member, nor do I qualify by age, nor will I attest to a health condition I don't have, so I'll be waiting to see if the Oregon/Washington/California scheme pans out. Meanwhile I've scheduled my flu shot which is widely available.

Absolutely it varies by state in that some states require a prescription from your doctor, while others have taken steps to override the restrictions from the FDA.

As an fyi as to how wide ranging the list of high-risk conditions are that qualify you for the covid vaccine (at least until the CDC panel meets on 9/19) here's the list:

https://www.cdc.gov/covid/risk-factors/index.html

So again, it's everything from being overweight to having previously smoked to having a history of depression to being physically inactive (which is a relative term), along with a host of other common conditions.

Thanks, Hannah, for posting this. My pharmacist at our clinic had told me there was a meeting on the 18th which would determine if they would even carry the vaccine this year, but I didn't realize it was a meeting of the CDC!

So we have appointments for tomorrow to get yet another Covid vaccine. I think it is #9 for me and #10 for my spouse.

mnannie

I realized today, I've totally lost track of how many COVID vaccines I've had, lol! It could be 9 or 10.

Getting mine tomorrow.

Note that my experience is that insurance companies update their coverages in late fall for Jan 1, then whatever is in effect then is valid through the calendar year irrespective of changes the CDC makes during that calendar year.

I have seen similar projections about the 75 age increase coming up. The NC governor made an executive order last Friday to allow access with no prescription for the 65 + age group. But I wasted no time,got my Covid 25-26 yesterday.
I'll probably go ahead and get the Rsv vaccine before that's taken away too.

My experience with RSV is what I was talking about above. CDC last year raised the age from 50 to 75 mid-year, but my insurance didn’t incorporate that change till Jan 1 2025.

There also can be a difference in policies by pharmacies. My preferred pharmacy says they won't do them without a prescription, whereas the one down the street (same state) will.

Got ours at CVS last week: they had an appointment opening just 1/2 hour from the time we checked for one so we booked it, jumped in the car and got 'er done. We get the flu shot this week, and had the 2nd stage pneumonia shot a couple months ago. LOL, I know what you mean those sore arms! Ow.

The DH and I both volunteer at a foodshelf/social services agency, and my role in particular has me coming into to contact with a lot of clients who are frail, elderly, have compromised health, don't get regular medical maintenance, etc. So, we do all we can to keep the worst of bugs at bay and/or not pass any along to others. They didn't ask any questions at the pharmacy but we're both 70, have a couple of minor risk conditions + our MD had recommended this year's jab. I just hope we don't have to worry about getting it next year (and I HATE needles, BTW.)

Crossing fingers that they don't make things difficult for the rest of you! 🤞

My primary care provider sent a portal message to patients that said they have the new booster, come and get it. All we have to do is request an appointment, no mention of a prescription, age or comorbidity restrictions.

I'm undecided about getting it - I had a cold a few weeks ago and didn't think anything of it. Then my son went to a music festival in Colorado and came home w/Covid. I discovered then that it's really going around, but it was too late to test to see if my cold was actually Covid. So I'm unsure about getting the booster right now.

I got mine on Friday, thanks to NY Gov's order, and did it specifically because we have no idea what these folks will do. I also apparently qualify for pneumona and needed a tetanus shot too, so sore arms!

I just did CVS @ Target since clinic for today’s annual had not received doses. Stand alone CVSs only offered Pfizer and I like to alternate each year so had to pick Target.

I like that CVS bills insurance about 1/3 what my clinic bills even though I don’t pay anything.

Got mine yesterday.. they never even asked what my "high risk" factor was :)

They were doing these at their clinic not the pharmacy so I assume the NP was writing the "prescription" LOL!