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URLhttps://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/well/covid-vaccines-guidelines-fall-2025.html
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Meta TitleWhat to Know About Covid Vaccines This Fall - The New York Times
Meta DescriptionThe F.D.A. and the C.D.C. have both weighed in, but confusion remains. Here’s what to know.
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Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT The F.D.A. and the C.D.C. have both weighed in, but confusion remains. Here’s what to know. Credit... Illustration by Deanna Donegan/The New York Times; Photographs by Getty Published Aug. 27, 2025 Updated Oct. 6, 2025 The threat of Covid infections has not gone away, but the vaccines that help protect against them are harder to come by this season. Under President Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., federal health officials have limited access to Covid shots and sown widespread confusion. In mid-September, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention panel made recommendations that some legal experts said were ambiguous. That followed the Food and Drug Administration’s decision in late August to approve updated versions of the shots only for people who are 65 or older and people who have a medical condition that puts them at higher risk. During the first half of September, even people who met those criteria faced significant obstacles to getting a shot. The new recommendations appeared likely to ease those obstacles but still leave potential gaps. Medical experts emphasize that, while hospitalizations and deaths have greatly decreased, Covid is still spreading — and while some groups are at higher risk, no one is guaranteed to have a mild infection. Many disagree with the Trump administration’s approach and support Americans at large doing their best to get a vaccine. Here is where things stand, and what you can do. When will the vaccines be available? Moderna, Pfizer and Novavax shots are already available in many doctor’s offices and pharmacies. Can I get a vaccine? In theory, anyone 6 months or older should be able to get an updated Covid shot. But for some people, access may be difficult in practice. In August, the F.D.A. limited eligibility to people who are 65 and older, or who are 6 months to 64 years with at least one condition that puts them “at high risk for severe outcomes from Covid-19.” The list of such conditions is long — it includes asthma, cancer, obesity and being immunocompromised, as well as less obvious things like physical inactivity — but still leaves millions of Americans ineligible. In September, though, the C.D.C.’s vaccine advisory panel suggested a different arrangement: that people outside those categories could get shots in consultation with medical professionals. At the same time, it added a similar consultation caveat for people over 65, for whom the F.D.A. had not set limits. Its recommendations say the vaccines should be available to people 65 and older based on “shared clinical decision-making,” and to younger people on the same basis but “with an emphasis that the risk-benefit of vaccination is most favorable for individuals who are at an increased risk” for severe disease. They also call for “more consistent and comprehensive informed consent processes,” without saying what those processes should consist of, and urge providers to “discuss the risks and benefits of the vaccination for the individual patient.” None of this language is particularly clear, legal experts said. Different providers might interpret it in different ways. For example, even the C.D.C. panelists who voted for the recommendations expressed uncertainty about what their decisions meant for pharmacists’ ability to administer vaccines. The C.D.C. has said “primary care physicians, specialists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, registered nurses and pharmacists” can provide shared clinical decision-making, which refers to a discussion between a provider and a patient. But Richard Hughes IV, a vaccine lawyer who teaches at George Washington University Law School and worked for Moderna, said state laws differed when it came to pharmacists. How can I get a vaccine? Availability may differ from provider to provider, so the best way to confirm is to contact your doctor or pharmacy. Representatives for CVS and Walgreens — the nation’s two largest pharmacy chains — said they would provide Covid shots without prescriptions nationwide after the head of the C.D.C. adopted the panel’s recommendations, which he did in early October. Previously, both chains required prescriptions in some states because of laws prohibiting pharmacists from administering vaccines without a recommendation from the panel. The question of whether pharmacists can provide “shared clinical decision-making” has an enormous effect on access, because in past years, the vast majority of Americans who received Covid shots did so at pharmacies. CVS and Walgreens have come down on the “yes” side, but other pharmacies’ lawyers could come to different conclusions. Doctors can indisputably provide the vaccines: It is legal and common for them to prescribe medications off label, meaning for uses the F.D.A. hasn’t approved. But there is no guarantee that your doctor will do so, or that they’ll have vaccines in stock. Will pharmacies require proof that I have a high-risk condition? At CVS and Walgreens, the answer should be no. A representative for CVS said patients would no longer have to attest to having an F.D.A.-qualifying condition. Jonathon Hosea, a spokesman for Walgreens, said that patients would be asked about underlying conditions but that healthy people could get a vaccine “through shared clinical decision-making with their pharmacist.” However, other pharmacies’ policies may vary. In general, if a pharmacist feels “that their license is at any risk, they’re not going to vaccinate,” Spreeha Choudhury, a lawyer and former pharmacist, said before the C.D.C. panel met — and in recent weeks, some patients have reported pharmacists’ asking for proof that corporate policies didn’t require. But CVS’s and Walgreens’s decisions suggest that more pharmacists may vaccinate now than before the panel voted. Are Covid shots still free? If you have insurance, there’s a good chance they will be. AHIP, a national trade organization for health insurers, said before the C.D.C. panel met that AHIP members would cover all vaccines that were C.D.C.-recommended as of Sept. 1, including Covid vaccines, through at least the end of 2026 — a striking declaration of intent to ignore any changes the panel made. That pledge applies to a long list of insurers. And one company that isn’t part of AHIP, UnitedHealthcare, confirmed that it would continue to cover all shots recommended as of the beginning of 2025. The Department of Health and Human Services also released a statement saying that the C.D.C. panel’s recommendations allowed coverage through all government-run health care programs, including Medicaid, Medicare and Vaccines for Children. Still, some private insurers haven’t made their intentions clear, and plans in a category called “self-funded” sometimes set rules that differ from their parent company’s. Under the Affordable Care Act, almost all insurers must fully cover vaccines that the C.D.C. panel recommends. But it isn’t clear whether that requirement applies to vaccines recommended with the shared clinical decision-making caveat, said Dorit Reiss, a professor at UC Law San Francisco. My state changed its vaccine policies. Does that make a difference? It could. Two sets of states — one on the West Coast and one in the Northeast — have formed alliances to make vaccine recommendations independent of the F.D.A. and C.D.C. A number of states, both within and outside those alliances, have also issued policies authorizing pharmacists to administer Covid shots even if state law would otherwise preclude it. When is the best time to get the shot? Late September through October, experts said. That gives the shot time to take effect before a winter wave is expected. The exception is if you had Covid recently. For maximum efficacy, wait three months after a Covid infection before getting a vaccine. It is a good idea to get your flu shot at the same time, and your R.S.V. shot if you’re in a vulnerable population, said Dr. Megan Ranney, an emergency physician and the dean of the Yale School of Public Health. Can I get a vaccine if I’m pregnant? If you’re pregnant, you are among the people for whom vaccination is most important, Dr. Ranney said. Organizations like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommend the Covid shot because of evidence that pregnancy increases the risk of severe illness, that Covid can harm fetuses and that vaccines during pregnancy can protect infants. However, access has been complicated by contradictory federal policies: Pregnancy is on the C.D.C.’s list of high-risk conditions, but the agency has stopped recommending Covid vaccines during pregnancy . Your access may depend on the discretion of individual doctors. Can children be vaccinated? The F.D.A. approved Moderna’s newest vaccine for children 6 months and older who have at least one high-risk condition. It approved Pfizer’s vaccine only for children 5 years and up, and Novavax’s only for children 12 and up, in both cases also with the high-risk limitation. The C.D.C. recommendations may ease access for healthy children, but the age minimums for each shot remain. It can also be very difficult to find a pharmacy that has the vaccine in stock in the child dosage, and some pediatricians’ offices are choosing not to carry it, assuming that pharmacies will provide access. The F.D.A.’s decision to restrict approval angered some medical experts, because children younger than 2 experience some of the highest rates of severe illness from Covid even if they are otherwise healthy. The American Academy of Pediatrics broke with federal health officials to recommend Covid vaccination for all children 6 months to 2 years old. How long does the Covid vaccine last? The shot should provide substantial protection against severe illness through the full winter virus season, said Dr. Paul Sax, the clinical director of infectious diseases at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Protection against being infected at all is likely to wane within a couple of months, he said, and even at its peak, the vaccine reduces but doesn’t eliminate risk. What are the side effects? Many people will have a sore arm or flulike symptoms. These symptoms should clear up in a day or two. Serious side effects are rare. A fraction of a percent of patients experience myocarditis, or heart inflammation. But the risk of developing myocarditis from a vaccine is lower than the risk of developing it from a Covid infection, according to an analysis of nearly two dozen studies . Christina Jewett and Dani Blum contributed reporting. Maggie Astor covers the intersection of health and politics for The Times. A version of this article appears in print on Aug. 29, 2025 , Section A, Page 13 of the New York edition with the headline: Limits on the Covid Vaccine: How They Will Affect You . Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe Related Content More in Well Rachel Bujalski for The New York Times Getty Images Kholood Eid for The New York Times Claire Merchlinsky/The New York Times; Photographs by Getty Editors’ Picks Illustration by Tomi Um Shutterstock Trending in The Times Ron Davis/Getty Images Haiyun Jiang for The New York Times Illustration by Sam Whitney/The New York Times Salwan Georges for The New York Times Winslow Townson Hiroko Masuike/The New York Times Senate Judiciary Committee, via Reuters Max L. Raab Productions/Photofest John McConnico for The New York Times Tierney L. Cross/The New York Times Advertisement SKIP ADVERTISEMENT
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[Skip to content](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/well/covid-vaccines-guidelines-fall-2025.html#site-content)[Skip to site index](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/well/covid-vaccines-guidelines-fall-2025.html#site-index) Search & Section Navigation Section Navigation Search [Well](https://www.nytimes.com/section/well) [Log in](https://myaccount.nytimes.com/auth/login?response_type=cookie&client_id=vi&redirect_uri=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.nytimes.com%2Fsubscription%2Fonboarding-offer%3FcampaignId%3D7JFJX%26EXIT_URI%3Dhttps%253A%252F%252Fwww.nytimes.com%252F2025%252F08%252F27%252Fwell%252Fcovid-vaccines-guidelines-fall-2025.html&asset=masthead) Sunday, March 8, 2026 [Today’s Paper](https://www.nytimes.com/section/todayspaper) U.S. Health Policy - [F.D.A Vaccine Regulator Resigning](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/06/health/fda-prasad-resigns.html) - [Kennedy’s Nutrition Plan](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/05/us/rfk-medical-schools-nutrition-curriculum.html) - [Vaccine Schedule Lawsuit](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/24/health/vaccine-schedule-california-lawsuit.html) - [Moderna Flu Vaccine](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/18/health/fda-moderna-flu-vaccine-mrna.html) Advertisement [SKIP ADVERTISEMENT](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/well/covid-vaccines-guidelines-fall-2025.html#after-top) Supported by [SKIP ADVERTISEMENT](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/well/covid-vaccines-guidelines-fall-2025.html#after-sponsor) # Can You Still Get the Covid Shot? The F.D.A. and the C.D.C. have both weighed in, but confusion remains. Here’s what to know. - Share full article - 89 ![A collage of photographs of vaccine vials and vaccine cards, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. with President Trump, a person receiving a vaccine and an older person being examined by a doctor.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2025/08/22/well/22Well-Vovid-Booster-Ex/22Well-Vovid-Booster-Ex-articleLarge-v2.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale) Credit...Illustration by Deanna Donegan/The New York Times; Photographs by Getty [![Maggie Astor](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2018/07/18/multimedia/author-maggie-astor/author-maggie-astor-thumbLarge-v2.png)](https://www.nytimes.com/by/maggie-astor) By [Maggie Astor](https://www.nytimes.com/by/maggie-astor) Published Aug. 27, 2025Updated Oct. 6, 2025 The threat of Covid infections has not gone away, but the vaccines that help protect against them are harder to come by this season. Under President Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., federal health officials have limited access to Covid shots and sown widespread confusion. In mid-September, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention panel [made recommendations](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/19/health/cdc-vaccines-mmrv-hepatitis-b.html) that some legal experts said were ambiguous. That followed the Food and Drug Administration’s decision in late August to [approve updated versions of the shots](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/health/fda-covid-vaccines-rfk-jr.html) only for people who are 65 or older and people who have a medical condition that puts them at higher risk. During the first half of September, even people who met those criteria faced [significant obstacles](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/28/well/cvs-pharmacy-covid-vaccine-16-states.html) to getting a shot. The new recommendations appeared likely to ease those obstacles but still leave potential gaps. Medical experts emphasize that, while hospitalizations and deaths have greatly decreased, Covid is still spreading — and while some groups are at higher risk, no one is guaranteed to have a mild infection. Many disagree with the Trump administration’s approach and support Americans at large doing their best to get a vaccine. Here is where things stand, and what you can do. ## When will the vaccines be available? Moderna, Pfizer and Novavax shots are already available in many doctor’s offices and pharmacies. ## Can I get a vaccine? In theory, anyone 6 months or older should be able to get an updated Covid shot. But for some people, access may be difficult in practice. In August, the F.D.A. limited eligibility to people who are 65 and older, or who are 6 months to 64 years with at least one condition that puts them “at high risk for severe outcomes from Covid-19.” The [list of such conditions](https://www.cdc.gov/covid/hcp/clinical-care/underlying-conditions.html) is long — it includes asthma, cancer, obesity and being immunocompromised, as well as less obvious things like physical inactivity — but still leaves millions of Americans ineligible. In September, though, the C.D.C.’s vaccine advisory panel suggested a different arrangement: that people outside those categories could get shots in consultation with medical professionals. At the same time, it added a similar consultation caveat for people over 65, for whom the F.D.A. had not set limits. Its recommendations say the vaccines should be available to people 65 and older based on “shared clinical decision-making,” and to younger people on the same basis but “with an emphasis that the risk-benefit of vaccination is most favorable for individuals who are at an increased risk” for severe disease. They also call for “more consistent and comprehensive informed consent processes,” without saying what those processes should consist of, and urge providers to “discuss the risks and benefits of the vaccination for the individual patient.” ## Editors’ Picks [![](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/15/arts/15myten-Cannavale/15myten-Cannavale-thumbLarge.jpg)Bobby Cannavale Loves ‘Heated Rivalry’ and His Bearded Dragon](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/07/arts/television/bobby-cannavale-bearded-dragon-scarpetta.html) [![](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/08/books/review/05tbr-bythebook-heughan/05tbr-bythebook-heughan-thumbLarge.jpg)Sam Heughan Says the ‘Outlander’ Finale Will Surprise Fans of the Novels](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/05/books/review/sam-heughan-outlander-favorite-books.html) [![](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/14/magazine/14mag-ethicist/14mag-ethicist-thumbLarge.jpg)My Sister’s Crime Shattered Our Family. Do I Have to Help Her?](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/07/magazine/sisters-crime-family-ethics.html) Advertisement [SKIP ADVERTISEMENT](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/well/covid-vaccines-guidelines-fall-2025.html#after-pp_edpick) None of this language is particularly clear, legal experts said. Different providers might interpret it in different ways. For example, even the C.D.C. panelists who voted for the recommendations expressed uncertainty about what their decisions meant for pharmacists’ ability to administer vaccines. The C.D.C. [has said](https://www.cdc.gov/acip/vaccine-recommendations/shared-clinical-decision-making.html) “primary care physicians, specialists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, registered nurses and pharmacists” can provide shared clinical decision-making, which refers to a discussion between a provider and a patient. But Richard Hughes IV, a vaccine lawyer who teaches at George Washington University Law School and worked for Moderna, said state laws differed when it came to pharmacists. ## How can I get a vaccine? Availability may differ from provider to provider, so the best way to confirm is to contact your doctor or pharmacy. Representatives for CVS and Walgreens — the nation’s two largest pharmacy chains — said they would provide Covid shots without prescriptions nationwide after the head of the C.D.C. adopted the panel’s recommendations, which he did in early October. Previously, both chains [required prescriptions](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/28/well/cvs-pharmacy-covid-vaccine-16-states.html) in some states because of laws prohibiting pharmacists from administering vaccines without a recommendation from the panel. The question of whether pharmacists can provide “shared clinical decision-making” has an enormous effect on access, because in past years, [the vast majority of Americans](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/health/fda-covid-vaccines-rfk-jr.html) who received Covid shots did so at pharmacies. CVS and Walgreens have come down on the “yes” side, but other pharmacies’ lawyers could come to different conclusions. Doctors can indisputably provide the vaccines: It is legal and common for them to prescribe medications off label, meaning for uses the F.D.A. hasn’t approved. But there is no guarantee that your doctor will do so, or that they’ll have vaccines in stock. ## Will pharmacies require proof that I have a high-risk condition? At CVS and Walgreens, the answer should be no. A representative for CVS said patients would no longer have to attest to having an F.D.A.-qualifying condition. Jonathon Hosea, a spokesman for Walgreens, said that patients would be asked about underlying conditions but that healthy people could get a vaccine “through shared clinical decision-making with their pharmacist.” However, other pharmacies’ policies may vary. In general, if a pharmacist feels “that their license is at any risk, they’re not going to vaccinate,” Spreeha Choudhury, a lawyer and former pharmacist, said before the C.D.C. panel met — and in recent weeks, some patients have reported pharmacists’ asking for proof that corporate policies didn’t require. But CVS’s and Walgreens’s decisions suggest that more pharmacists may vaccinate now than before the panel voted. ## Are Covid shots still free? If you have insurance, there’s a good chance they will be. AHIP, a national trade organization for health insurers, [said](https://www.ahip.org/news/press-releases/ahip-statement-on-vaccine-coverage) before the C.D.C. panel met that AHIP members would cover all vaccines that were C.D.C.-recommended as of Sept. 1, including Covid vaccines, through at least the end of 2026 — a striking declaration of intent to ignore any changes the panel made. That pledge applies to [a long list](https://www.ahip.org/members) of insurers. And one company that isn’t part of AHIP, UnitedHealthcare, confirmed that it would continue to cover all shots recommended as of the beginning of 2025. The Department of Health and Human Services also [released a statement](https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/acip-recommends-covid19-vaccination-individual-decision-making.html) saying that the C.D.C. panel’s recommendations allowed coverage through all government-run health care programs, including Medicaid, Medicare and Vaccines for Children. Still, some private insurers haven’t made their intentions clear, and plans in a category called “self-funded” sometimes set rules that differ from their parent company’s. Under the Affordable Care Act, almost all insurers must fully cover vaccines that the C.D.C. panel recommends. But it isn’t clear whether that requirement applies to vaccines recommended with the shared clinical decision-making caveat, said Dorit Reiss, a professor at UC Law San Francisco. ## My state changed its vaccine policies. Does that make a difference? It could. Two sets of states — one [on the West Coast](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/health/vaccine-guidelines-california-oregon-washington-hawaii-rfk.html) and one [in the Northeast](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/18/nyregion/northeast-public-health-collaborative-trump.html) — have formed alliances to make vaccine recommendations independent of the F.D.A. and C.D.C. A number of states, both within and outside those alliances, have also issued policies authorizing pharmacists to administer Covid shots even if state law would otherwise preclude it. ## When is the best time to get the shot? Late September through October, experts said. That gives the shot time to take effect before a winter wave is expected. The exception is if you had Covid recently. For maximum efficacy, wait three months after a Covid infection before getting a vaccine. It is a good idea to get your flu shot at the same time, and [your R.S.V. shot](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/12/well/rsv-vaccines-adults-children.html) if you’re in a vulnerable population, said Dr. Megan Ranney, an emergency physician and the dean of the Yale School of Public Health. ## Can I get a vaccine if I’m pregnant? If you’re pregnant, you are among the people for whom vaccination is most important, Dr. Ranney said. Organizations like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists [recommend](https://www.acog.org/news/news-releases/2025/08/acog-releases-updated-maternal-immunization-guidance-covid-influenza-rsv) the Covid shot because of evidence that pregnancy increases the risk of severe illness, that Covid can harm fetuses and that vaccines during pregnancy can protect infants. However, [access has been complicated](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/well/covid-shots-pregnant-women.html) by contradictory federal policies: Pregnancy is on the C.D.C.’s list of high-risk conditions, but the agency has [stopped recommending Covid vaccines during pregnancy](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/30/health/cdc-covid-vaccines-children-pregnant-women.html). Your access may depend on the discretion of individual doctors. ## Can children be vaccinated? The F.D.A. approved Moderna’s newest vaccine for children 6 months and older who have at least one high-risk condition. It approved Pfizer’s vaccine only for children 5 years and up, and Novavax’s only for children 12 and up, in both cases also with the high-risk limitation. The C.D.C. recommendations may ease access for healthy children, but the age minimums for each shot remain. It can also be very difficult to find a pharmacy that has the vaccine in stock in the child dosage, and some pediatricians’ offices are choosing not to carry it, assuming that pharmacies will provide access. The F.D.A.’s decision to restrict approval angered some medical experts, because children younger than 2 experience some of the highest rates of severe illness from Covid even if they are otherwise healthy. The American Academy of Pediatrics broke with federal health officials to recommend Covid vaccination for all children 6 months to 2 years old. ## How long does the Covid vaccine last? The shot should provide substantial protection against severe illness through the full winter virus season, said Dr. Paul Sax, the clinical director of infectious diseases at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Protection against being infected at all is likely to wane within a couple of months, he said, and even at its peak, the vaccine reduces but doesn’t eliminate risk. ## What are the side effects? Many people will have a sore arm or flulike symptoms. These symptoms should clear up in a day or two. Serious side effects are rare. A fraction of a percent of patients experience myocarditis, or heart inflammation. But the risk of developing myocarditis from a vaccine is lower than the risk of developing it from a Covid infection, according to [an analysis of nearly two dozen studies](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9467278/). Christina Jewett and Dani Blum contributed reporting. [Maggie Astor](https://www.nytimes.com/by/maggie-astor) covers the intersection of health and politics for The Times. A version of this article appears in print on Aug. 29, 2025, Section A, Page 13 of the New York edition with the headline: Limits on the Covid Vaccine: How They Will Affect You. [Order Reprints](https://nytimes.wrightsmedia.com/) \| [Today’s Paper](https://www.nytimes.com/section/todayspaper) \| [Subscribe](https://www.nytimes.com/subscriptions/Multiproduct/lp8HYKU.html?campaignId=48JQY) See more on: [Food and Drug Administration](https://www.nytimes.com/topic/organization/food-and-drug-administration), [Centers for Disease Control and Prevention](https://www.nytimes.com/topic/organization/centers-for-disease-control-and-prevention), [CVS Caremark Corporation](https://www.nytimes.com/topic/company/cvs-caremark-corporation), [Walgreens Boots Alliance Inc.](https://www.nytimes.com/topic/company/walgreens-boots-alliance-inc) Read 89 comments - Share full article - 89 ## Related Content ### [More in Well](https://www.nytimes.com/section/well) - [How Older Adults Are Improving Their ‘Sex Span’](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/05/well/family/sex-span-longevity-health.html) ![At 82, Joan Price and her boyfriend, Mac Marshall, have had to adjust their bedroom activities to suit various physical limitations, but the couple maintain a weekly sex date.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/04/multimedia/WELL-SEXSPAN1-gqvl/WELL-SEXSPAN1-gqvl-square640-v2.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale) Rachel Bujalski for The New York Times - [Is This Treadmill Walking Trend Good for Your Fitness?](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/06/well/move/12-3-30-treadmill-workout-trend.html) ![](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/06/well/06WELL-TREADMILL-TREND2/06WELL-TREADMILL-TREND2-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale) Getty Images - [Epstein Doctor Steps Away From Elite Health Clinics](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/07/us/epstein-doctors-bernard-kruger.html) ![Dr. Bernard Kruger in 2018.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/02/26/multimedia/06INV-EPSTEIN-KRUGER-1/00-EPSTEIN-DOCTORS-kruger-vmcg-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale) Kholood Eid for The New York Times - [What You Really Need to Know About Hernias](https://www.nytimes.com/2026/03/05/well/live/groin-hernias-advice.html) ![](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/10/well/05WELL-HERNIAS-MEN-image/05WELL-HERNIAS-MEN-image-square640-v2.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale) Claire Merchlinsky/The New York Times; Photographs by Getty ### Editors’ Picks - [My Sister’s Crime Shattered Our Family. 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Advertisement [SKIP ADVERTISEMENT](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/well/covid-vaccines-guidelines-fall-2025.html#after-top) The F.D.A. and the C.D.C. have both weighed in, but confusion remains. Here’s what to know. ![A collage of photographs of vaccine vials and vaccine cards, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. with President Trump, a person receiving a vaccine and an older person being examined by a doctor.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2025/08/22/well/22Well-Vovid-Booster-Ex/22Well-Vovid-Booster-Ex-articleLarge-v2.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale) Credit...Illustration by Deanna Donegan/The New York Times; Photographs by Getty Published Aug. 27, 2025Updated Oct. 6, 2025 The threat of Covid infections has not gone away, but the vaccines that help protect against them are harder to come by this season. Under President Trump and Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., federal health officials have limited access to Covid shots and sown widespread confusion. In mid-September, a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention panel [made recommendations](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/19/health/cdc-vaccines-mmrv-hepatitis-b.html) that some legal experts said were ambiguous. That followed the Food and Drug Administration’s decision in late August to [approve updated versions of the shots](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/health/fda-covid-vaccines-rfk-jr.html) only for people who are 65 or older and people who have a medical condition that puts them at higher risk. During the first half of September, even people who met those criteria faced [significant obstacles](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/28/well/cvs-pharmacy-covid-vaccine-16-states.html) to getting a shot. The new recommendations appeared likely to ease those obstacles but still leave potential gaps. Medical experts emphasize that, while hospitalizations and deaths have greatly decreased, Covid is still spreading — and while some groups are at higher risk, no one is guaranteed to have a mild infection. Many disagree with the Trump administration’s approach and support Americans at large doing their best to get a vaccine. Here is where things stand, and what you can do. ## When will the vaccines be available? Moderna, Pfizer and Novavax shots are already available in many doctor’s offices and pharmacies. ## Can I get a vaccine? In theory, anyone 6 months or older should be able to get an updated Covid shot. But for some people, access may be difficult in practice. In August, the F.D.A. limited eligibility to people who are 65 and older, or who are 6 months to 64 years with at least one condition that puts them “at high risk for severe outcomes from Covid-19.” The [list of such conditions](https://www.cdc.gov/covid/hcp/clinical-care/underlying-conditions.html) is long — it includes asthma, cancer, obesity and being immunocompromised, as well as less obvious things like physical inactivity — but still leaves millions of Americans ineligible. In September, though, the C.D.C.’s vaccine advisory panel suggested a different arrangement: that people outside those categories could get shots in consultation with medical professionals. At the same time, it added a similar consultation caveat for people over 65, for whom the F.D.A. had not set limits. Its recommendations say the vaccines should be available to people 65 and older based on “shared clinical decision-making,” and to younger people on the same basis but “with an emphasis that the risk-benefit of vaccination is most favorable for individuals who are at an increased risk” for severe disease. They also call for “more consistent and comprehensive informed consent processes,” without saying what those processes should consist of, and urge providers to “discuss the risks and benefits of the vaccination for the individual patient.” None of this language is particularly clear, legal experts said. Different providers might interpret it in different ways. For example, even the C.D.C. panelists who voted for the recommendations expressed uncertainty about what their decisions meant for pharmacists’ ability to administer vaccines. The C.D.C. [has said](https://www.cdc.gov/acip/vaccine-recommendations/shared-clinical-decision-making.html) “primary care physicians, specialists, physician assistants, nurse practitioners, registered nurses and pharmacists” can provide shared clinical decision-making, which refers to a discussion between a provider and a patient. But Richard Hughes IV, a vaccine lawyer who teaches at George Washington University Law School and worked for Moderna, said state laws differed when it came to pharmacists. ## How can I get a vaccine? Availability may differ from provider to provider, so the best way to confirm is to contact your doctor or pharmacy. Representatives for CVS and Walgreens — the nation’s two largest pharmacy chains — said they would provide Covid shots without prescriptions nationwide after the head of the C.D.C. adopted the panel’s recommendations, which he did in early October. Previously, both chains [required prescriptions](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/28/well/cvs-pharmacy-covid-vaccine-16-states.html) in some states because of laws prohibiting pharmacists from administering vaccines without a recommendation from the panel. The question of whether pharmacists can provide “shared clinical decision-making” has an enormous effect on access, because in past years, [the vast majority of Americans](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/health/fda-covid-vaccines-rfk-jr.html) who received Covid shots did so at pharmacies. CVS and Walgreens have come down on the “yes” side, but other pharmacies’ lawyers could come to different conclusions. Doctors can indisputably provide the vaccines: It is legal and common for them to prescribe medications off label, meaning for uses the F.D.A. hasn’t approved. But there is no guarantee that your doctor will do so, or that they’ll have vaccines in stock. ## Will pharmacies require proof that I have a high-risk condition? At CVS and Walgreens, the answer should be no. A representative for CVS said patients would no longer have to attest to having an F.D.A.-qualifying condition. Jonathon Hosea, a spokesman for Walgreens, said that patients would be asked about underlying conditions but that healthy people could get a vaccine “through shared clinical decision-making with their pharmacist.” However, other pharmacies’ policies may vary. In general, if a pharmacist feels “that their license is at any risk, they’re not going to vaccinate,” Spreeha Choudhury, a lawyer and former pharmacist, said before the C.D.C. panel met — and in recent weeks, some patients have reported pharmacists’ asking for proof that corporate policies didn’t require. But CVS’s and Walgreens’s decisions suggest that more pharmacists may vaccinate now than before the panel voted. ## Are Covid shots still free? If you have insurance, there’s a good chance they will be. AHIP, a national trade organization for health insurers, [said](https://www.ahip.org/news/press-releases/ahip-statement-on-vaccine-coverage) before the C.D.C. panel met that AHIP members would cover all vaccines that were C.D.C.-recommended as of Sept. 1, including Covid vaccines, through at least the end of 2026 — a striking declaration of intent to ignore any changes the panel made. That pledge applies to [a long list](https://www.ahip.org/members) of insurers. And one company that isn’t part of AHIP, UnitedHealthcare, confirmed that it would continue to cover all shots recommended as of the beginning of 2025. The Department of Health and Human Services also [released a statement](https://www.hhs.gov/press-room/acip-recommends-covid19-vaccination-individual-decision-making.html) saying that the C.D.C. panel’s recommendations allowed coverage through all government-run health care programs, including Medicaid, Medicare and Vaccines for Children. Still, some private insurers haven’t made their intentions clear, and plans in a category called “self-funded” sometimes set rules that differ from their parent company’s. Under the Affordable Care Act, almost all insurers must fully cover vaccines that the C.D.C. panel recommends. But it isn’t clear whether that requirement applies to vaccines recommended with the shared clinical decision-making caveat, said Dorit Reiss, a professor at UC Law San Francisco. ## My state changed its vaccine policies. Does that make a difference? It could. Two sets of states — one [on the West Coast](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/17/health/vaccine-guidelines-california-oregon-washington-hawaii-rfk.html) and one [in the Northeast](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/09/18/nyregion/northeast-public-health-collaborative-trump.html) — have formed alliances to make vaccine recommendations independent of the F.D.A. and C.D.C. A number of states, both within and outside those alliances, have also issued policies authorizing pharmacists to administer Covid shots even if state law would otherwise preclude it. ## When is the best time to get the shot? Late September through October, experts said. That gives the shot time to take effect before a winter wave is expected. The exception is if you had Covid recently. For maximum efficacy, wait three months after a Covid infection before getting a vaccine. It is a good idea to get your flu shot at the same time, and [your R.S.V. shot](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/08/12/well/rsv-vaccines-adults-children.html) if you’re in a vulnerable population, said Dr. Megan Ranney, an emergency physician and the dean of the Yale School of Public Health. ## Can I get a vaccine if I’m pregnant? If you’re pregnant, you are among the people for whom vaccination is most important, Dr. Ranney said. Organizations like the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists [recommend](https://www.acog.org/news/news-releases/2025/08/acog-releases-updated-maternal-immunization-guidance-covid-influenza-rsv) the Covid shot because of evidence that pregnancy increases the risk of severe illness, that Covid can harm fetuses and that vaccines during pregnancy can protect infants. However, [access has been complicated](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/10/02/well/covid-shots-pregnant-women.html) by contradictory federal policies: Pregnancy is on the C.D.C.’s list of high-risk conditions, but the agency has [stopped recommending Covid vaccines during pregnancy](https://www.nytimes.com/2025/05/30/health/cdc-covid-vaccines-children-pregnant-women.html). Your access may depend on the discretion of individual doctors. ## Can children be vaccinated? The F.D.A. approved Moderna’s newest vaccine for children 6 months and older who have at least one high-risk condition. It approved Pfizer’s vaccine only for children 5 years and up, and Novavax’s only for children 12 and up, in both cases also with the high-risk limitation. The C.D.C. recommendations may ease access for healthy children, but the age minimums for each shot remain. It can also be very difficult to find a pharmacy that has the vaccine in stock in the child dosage, and some pediatricians’ offices are choosing not to carry it, assuming that pharmacies will provide access. The F.D.A.’s decision to restrict approval angered some medical experts, because children younger than 2 experience some of the highest rates of severe illness from Covid even if they are otherwise healthy. The American Academy of Pediatrics broke with federal health officials to recommend Covid vaccination for all children 6 months to 2 years old. ## How long does the Covid vaccine last? The shot should provide substantial protection against severe illness through the full winter virus season, said Dr. Paul Sax, the clinical director of infectious diseases at Brigham and Women’s Hospital. Protection against being infected at all is likely to wane within a couple of months, he said, and even at its peak, the vaccine reduces but doesn’t eliminate risk. ## What are the side effects? Many people will have a sore arm or flulike symptoms. These symptoms should clear up in a day or two. Serious side effects are rare. A fraction of a percent of patients experience myocarditis, or heart inflammation. But the risk of developing myocarditis from a vaccine is lower than the risk of developing it from a Covid infection, according to [an analysis of nearly two dozen studies](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC9467278/). Christina Jewett and Dani Blum contributed reporting. [Maggie Astor](https://www.nytimes.com/by/maggie-astor) covers the intersection of health and politics for The Times. A version of this article appears in print on Aug. 29, 2025, Section A, Page 13 of the New York edition with the headline: Limits on the Covid Vaccine: How They Will Affect You. [Order Reprints](https://nytimes.wrightsmedia.com/) \| [Today’s Paper](https://www.nytimes.com/section/todayspaper) \| [Subscribe](https://www.nytimes.com/subscriptions/Multiproduct/lp8HYKU.html?campaignId=48JQY) ## Related Content [More in Well](https://www.nytimes.com/section/well) - ![At 82, Joan Price and her boyfriend, Mac Marshall, have had to adjust their bedroom activities to suit various physical limitations, but the couple maintain a weekly sex date.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/04/multimedia/WELL-SEXSPAN1-gqvl/WELL-SEXSPAN1-gqvl-square640-v2.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale) Rachel Bujalski for The New York Times - ![](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/06/well/06WELL-TREADMILL-TREND2/06WELL-TREADMILL-TREND2-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale) Getty Images - ![Dr. Bernard Kruger in 2018.](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/02/26/multimedia/06INV-EPSTEIN-KRUGER-1/00-EPSTEIN-DOCTORS-kruger-vmcg-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale) Kholood Eid for The New York Times - ![](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/10/well/05WELL-HERNIAS-MEN-image/05WELL-HERNIAS-MEN-image-square640-v2.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale) Claire Merchlinsky/The New York Times; Photographs by Getty Editors’ Picks - ![](https://static01.nyt.com/images/2026/03/14/magazine/14mag-ethicist/14mag-ethicist-square640.jpg?quality=75&auto=webp&disable=upscale) Illustration by Tomi Um - ![On certain Boeing 737 and Airbus A321 jets, row 11 offers a seat sold as a window view that shows, instead, a wall. 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