Updated COVID-19 Vaccines Now Available for High-Risk Individuals: What You Need to Know

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved updated Covid-19 vaccines for individuals aged 65 and older, as well as those with specific medical conditions that increase their risk of severe Covid-19 infection. While federal officials stress that anyone wishing to receive a Covid-19 vaccine can do so after consulting with a healthcare provider, the more targeted approval may restrict access for some people who were previously able to get vaccinated easily.

Here’s what you need to know about getting an updated Covid-19 vaccine:

US Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. stated in a recent post that marketing authorization has been issued for Moderna (6 months and older), Pfizer (5 years and above), and Novavax (12 years and above) vaccines, which are now available to patients who choose them following consultation with their healthcare providers.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) lists the conditions that increase the risk of severe Covid-19 as follows:

1. Immune system disorders such as HIV, or receiving treatment that weakens the immune system.
2. Chronic kidney disease requiring dialysis.
3. Obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher.
4. Chronic lung diseases like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
5. Heart conditions such as heart failure, coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies, or hypertension.
6. Liver disease including cirrhosis.
7. Neurological and neurodevelopmental disorders like cerebral palsy, epilepsy, stroke, or dementia.
8. Diabetes mellitus type 1 or 2.
9. Pregnancy and recent pregnancy (within 2 weeks).
10. Sickle cell disease or thalassemia.
11. HIV-associated conditions like AIDS.
12. Severe obesity (BMI of 40 or higher) or severe underweight (BMI less than 18.5).
13. Underlying medical conditions, such as Down syndrome, that may increase the risk of infection.

These underlying conditions are estimated to make between 100 million and 200 million people in the US eligible for a Covid-19 vaccine under the new framework, according to FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary and Dr. Vinay Prasad, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research.

Covid-19 vaccines are anticipated to be available at numerous pharmacies and healthcare facilities across the US this fall. Both Pfizer/BioNTech and Moderna have announced that their updated Covid-19 vaccines will be available in the near future.

Pfizer and BioNTech’s Covid-19 vaccine for this season will reportedly start shipping immediately and become accessible at pharmacies, hospitals, and clinics nationwide. Novavax intends to work with its partner Sanofi to provide access to a protein-based, non-mRNA Covid-19 vaccine for eligible individuals this fall.

CVS Pharmacy locations expect to receive updated Covid-19 vaccines in the coming days, according to spokesperson Amy Thibault. These vaccines will be administered to patients at CVS Pharmacy and/or MinuteClinic where legally permitted, following online scheduling via CVS.com or through the CVS Health app, or by walking into pharmacies and clinics.

However, it should be noted that CVS is not currently offering Covid-19 vaccinations in some states, even for those who meet the eligibility criteria. The pharmacy chain follows state-level pharmacy regulations and, in certain states, pharmacists are prohibited from administering vaccines not recommended by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

CVS is not offering Covid-19 vaccinations in 16 states and Washington, DC due to the current regulatory environment: Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia. In all but three of those states – Massachusetts, Nevada, and New Mexico – CVS pharmacies can administer a Covid-19 vaccination, depending on the patient’s age, with an authorized prescriber’s prescription.

Walgreens is also preparing to offer the Covid-19 vaccine where regulations allow. The company will provide the vaccine to all adults aged 65 and older, as well as individuals under 65 who are at higher risk for severe outcomes from Covid-19, as determined by the CDC.

During the 2023-24 respiratory virus season, an estimated 71.5% of shots were given in pharmacies or drug stores, followed by an estimated 9.2% at clinics or health centers. Access may be different for some pregnant people and children.

In May, recommendations for Covid-19 vaccines for children and pregnant women underwent significant changes. In updated recommendations, children are now eligible to receive the vaccines after consultation with a healthcare provider. Emergency use authorizations for Covid-19 vaccines were rescinded, which means Pfizer’s Covid-19 vaccine, Comirnaty, is no longer authorized for children younger than 5. Moderna’s Spikevax vaccine is approved for children as young as 6 months, but only if they have an underlying condition that puts them at higher risk. Children who are 12 and older and have at least one underlying condition that increases the risk of severe disease are eligible for Novavax’s Covid-19 vaccine, the only protein-based, non-mRNA vaccine available in the US.

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recently made a broader recommendation for the Covid-19 vaccine, stating that all children ages 6 months through 23 months should receive a Covid-19 vaccine unless they have known allergies to the vaccine or its ingredients. The AAP also recommends a single dose of the vaccine for children aged 2 through 18 years if they are at high risk of Covid-19, residents of long-term care facilities, have never been vaccinated against Covid-19, or live in a household with people who are high-risk for Covid-19. The vaccine should be available for this age group even if they are not in these risk groups.

AAP President Dr. Susan Kressly stated that the more limited vaccine approvals may add “further confusion and stress for parents trying to make the best choices for their children,” which could potentially complicate Covid-19 vaccine access for many individuals whose conditions may not be immediately obvious but nonetheless put them at risk.

People can receive a seasonal flu shot and Covid-19 vaccine at the same time if they are eligible for each vaccine, according to the CDC. These vaccines come in separate formulations and packaging. There isn’t a flu and Covid combination vaccine available yet, but it might not be too far off; vaccine makers have been developing shots that combine them to make vaccination more efficient.

Moderna has developed an experimental flu+Covid combination vaccine and released clinical trial data last year showing that, in adults 50 and older, it was safe and elicited higher immune responses against influenza virus and the coronavirus compared with the seasonal flu and Covid-19 vaccines that were licensed at the time.

Pfizer and BioNTech have teamed up to develop an influenza and Covid-19 combination vaccine, starting multiple clinical trials evaluating updated formulations. Novavax has expressed intentions to seek a business partner to continue research and development of its influenza and Covid-19 combination vaccine candidate.