Florida residents seeking a COVID-19 booster will have extra steps to follow this fall – and many won’t get the shot at all.
Anita Huenke was shopping at her regular CVS in Clearwater when she asked employees about scheduling her COVID booster.
Florida is among the outliers where the chain is still offering the vaccine as long as the patient has a prescription.
A Publix spokesperson didn’t respond to requests for comment, but according to the grocer’s online vaccine scheduling tool, COVID-19 vaccines are not currently available in Florida.
The confusion with federal COVID vaccine guidelines comes as infections ramp up across the state.
There will be additional procedures for Florida residents who want to get a COVID-19 booster this fall, and many won’t receive the shot at all.
After the Food and Drug Administration announced new criteria last month, the state is one of several where access to the vaccines has been restricted. When the agency approved the most recent vaccine, which was updated to protect against the most recent COVID-19 variants, it restricted its use to people 65 years of age or older who had a high-risk medical condition and were older than six months.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, a panel charged with voting on vaccine recommendations, has not yet provided national pharmacy chains with further guidance. Next week, the committee will meet once more.
Like many other states, Florida statutes only permit certified pharmacists to administer vaccines that are approved by the health agency for travel or emergency use, or that are listed in the federal Adult Immunization Schedule.
The new Food and Drug Administration standards make things more difficult and cause misunderstandings for both customers and drugstore staff.
Anita Huenke asked staff members about scheduling her COVID booster while she was shopping at her usual CVS in Clearwater. Workers informed her that, for the time being, they would not be giving booster shots to anyone. Furthermore, she would eventually require a prescription.
Bewildered, Huenke began to call. When she tried to contact the Office of the Governor, the staff informed her that they were unaware of the new directive. When she called the Florida Department of Health, voicemail boxes were full and would not accept any messages.
Huenke satisfies the updated eligibility requirements at age 71. She is worried about getting vaccinated, though, because her husband has received a kidney transplant.
When she called her doctor to ask for a prescription, they didn’t seem to understand why she would need one, Huenke said.
According to J., pharmacy chains are stuck on how to distribute the doses that are already in their freezers. Glenn Morris, a professor at the University of Florida who specializes in infectious diseases.
According to Morris, “there is currently confusion and chaos at the state level because of all the confusion and chaos at the federal level.”. It is unclear to pharmacies what they can and cannot do. They’re essentially in the middle. “.”.
It seems that chains are adopting different strategies. According to a statement from spokeswoman Amy Thibault, CVS is offering free vaccinations to qualified individuals in 40 states. One of the outlier states where the chain continues to provide the vaccine, provided the patient has a prescription, is Florida.
“Where we can currently vaccinate is governed by state pharmacy laws,” Thibault stated.
If the state governments or the advisory committee release new guidelines, the chain may eventually provide doses without a prescription, she said.
In 38 states, Walgreens sells the vaccine without a prescription; in nine states, it requires a prescription. According to an online frequently asked questions page, the chain is not giving any vaccinations in Florida until the new regulations are released.
The grocery store’s online vaccine scheduling tool indicates that COVID-19 vaccines are not currently available in Florida, although a Publix representative did not reply to requests for comment.
At the federal level, the changing regulations are a part of a larger movement against vaccines. The U. A. Robert F., Health Secretary. Kennedy, Jr. has long questioned the safety of COVID-19 vaccines, contradicting public health experts in the process. Kennedy eliminated the mRNA vaccines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s list of recommended vaccinations for pregnant women and healthy children in May.
Florida’s Department of Health commended these initiatives. Last year, the state formally advised against the mRNA vaccine for all demographics. Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo of Florida announced last week that all vaccination requirements for attendance at public schools in the state would be lifted, including those for measles, polio, chickenpox, and other illnesses.
As COVID infections increase throughout the state, there is confusion regarding federal guidelines for the vaccine. Hospitals in the Tampa Bay area have reported increased positivity rates and a rise in symptomatic patients as new variants proliferate. Between May and August, monthly cases more than quadrupled, according to state data.
Morris stated that additional obstacles to individuals pursuing the vaccination may worsen the disease’s spread. Many people still have a reason to get vaccinated even though they no longer meet the requirements, in addition to the fact that some patients will not have doctors to write them a prescription. For instance, Morris mentioned those who have a loved one with a weakened immune system or who frequently visit their aging parents.
“People are being harmed because there are those who need and want the vaccine—and even fit the new requirements for the vaccine—but they can’t get it,” Morris stated.
Carolyn Warren, 84, called a CVS Pharmacy in St. Petersburg to make an appointment for her COVID-19 vaccination. Warren claimed that they informed her that she could visit at any time after verifying her age.
Warren, however, claimed that upon arriving, she was informed that a prescription was required in order to receive the dosage. With her doctor’s number in hand, the pharmacist immediately contacted his staff to verify that Warren could receive the vaccination.
According to Warren, the pharmacist simply felt that the extra step was pointless.
She stated that the majority of people who have something that would raise a question will be discussing it with their doctor anyhow.
According to Florida Blue, a significant health insurance provider in the state, spokesperson Estella Gray stated that the new requirements have not led to any modifications to vaccination coverage policies or guidelines.
Dr. Laura Arline, BayCare’s chief quality officer, said in a statement that doctors are scrutinizing the FDA’s prescription guidelines and waiting for additional advice from the advisory group.
“Anyone who has questions about vaccinations, including parents, should speak with their healthcare provider,” Arline advised.
In the end, Huenke received a response from her physician’s office stating that they would be able to write a prescription for her. However, the absence of precise information continues to irritate her.
“I find it absurd,” she remarked. I find it unbelievable that this is taking place in both our state and our country’s healthcare system. “.”.
