Chaos as a wave of COVID hits U.S.

Seniors in some parts of nation say they are being denied vaccines amid Trump policies.

- RONG-GONG LIN II

DR. GAURAV SHINDE gives COVID and flu shots to Giti Noroozi last week at a Walgreens in Torrance.

Seniors in some parts of the country say they are being denied COVID-19 vaccinations amid an ongoing wave of cases, leading to rising frustration over new Trump administration policies that are making it harder to get the shots.

Matthew D'Amico, 67, of New York City, said a Walgreens declined to administer COVID-19 vaccines to him and his 75-year-old wife Friday because they didn't have a prescription. They're trying to get vaccinated ahead of a trip.

"I can't believe we can't get" the vaccine, D'Amico said in an interview. "I've been inoculated a number of times and never had to get a prescription. And it's just very frustrating that this is where we are."

He's not alone in his exasperation. Under the leadership of the vaccine skeptic Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., federal agencies have in effect made it more difficult to get vaccinated against COVID-19 this year. The Food and Drug Administration has “approved” COVID-19 vaccines only for those 65 and older, as well as younger people with underlying health conditions.

That means across the country, people younger than 65 interested in getting the COVID-19 vaccine must now either consult with a healthcare provider or “attest” to a pharmacy that they have an underlying health condition. It's a potential hurdle that can make getting the vaccine more difficult and, some health experts worry, prompt even more Americans to eschew getting vaccinated.

As D'Amico can attest, though, being part of a group for whom the COVID vaccine is "approved" doesn't necessarily guarantee easy access.

"For me to go to my primary [healthcare provider] now and get a prescription, it's just kind of ridiculous," D'Amico said.