New Yorkers trying to get a COVID-19 vaccine are facing hurdles after the FDA under Robert F. Kennedy Jr. imposed new restrictions on the shot.
Under the new federal rules, the vaccines are only approved for people 65 and older and for those who have a health condition that puts them at higher risk. The list of qualifying conditions is broad, including things like obesity, physical inactivity, ever having smoked, depression or anxiety, and asthma. Studies have estimated that 75 percent of American adults have a condition that makes them high risk.
Yet in New York—unlike neighboring states—even people who qualify for the shots are struggling to access them.
Walgreens will only allow New Yorkers to book a COVID-19 vaccine if they have a prescription from a doctor. CVS won’t schedule appointments online in New York at all, although the chain told Hell Gate they’re accepting walk-ins with a prescription.
That's in contrast with neighboring New Jersey and Connecticut, where appointments are available without a prescription.
So far, the state hasn’t taken any action to help more New Yorkers access the vaccine, unlike several other blue states that have issued their own guidance to counteract the federal restrictions. (Hours after the publication of this story, Governor Hochul announced she would expand access. See the update below.)