Here we go again: Who is eligible for a COVID vaccine?

Recent developments prompt concerns over access to shots in fall. Here is what we know.

- RONG-GONG LIN II

NEW FEDERAL guidance could make it more difficult to get the COVID vaccine.

A week of fast-moving dedevelopments has left some with questions about access to the COVID-19 vaccine.

While experts and offi cials say the new federal guidance surrounding COVID vaccine authorization could make it more difficult for many people to be inoculated, there are still unresolved questions and wrinkles yet to emerge.

But here is what we know:

Can I get a COVID vaccine now?

It may be a few days before updated 2025-26 COVID vaccines are available in some locations.

Now that the shots have been approved for the upcoming season, retail pharmacy chains Walgreens and CVS said they would soon be prepared to offer the vaccines, where available.

But at those pharmacies, getting the vaccine may not be a straightforward process for everyone.

Why is this suddenly so complicated?

In recent years, the federal government's recommendation for COVID vaccines was simple: Everyone age 6 months and up should get an updated shot in the fall.

This year, however, under the leadership of the vaccine skeptic Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the Food and Drug Administration only “approved” the updated vaccines for people age 65 and older, as well as younger people with at least one health condition that puts them at high risk for severe COVID should they get infected.

That means, for the first time ever, it’s possible that younger, healthier people will need to consult with a healthcare provider to get an updated COVID vaccine.

How hard might it be for a younger, healthy person to get the vaccine?

It might depend on what state you live in. Whether your state considers pharmacists “healthcare providers” — and how much latitude those pharmacists have to authorize the shots “off-label” — are key.