Covid-19 Vaccine Access Expands in Some States Amid Federal Guidance Changes
The Covid-19 vaccine landscape has undergone significant changes in 2025, with federal guidance no longer recommending the vaccine for nearly everyone, as it had in previous years. In response, several Democratic governors have taken action to ensure their residents can access the vaccine at pharmacies without individual prescriptions. Arizona and Maine are the latest states to join this effort, with their governors signing orders to ease access to the vaccine.
CVS Health, the largest pharmacy chain in the US, has announced that its stores are offering Covid-19 vaccines without individual prescriptions in 41 states as of mid-September. However, some states, including Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, North Carolina, Oregon, Utah, and West Virginia, as well as the District of Columbia, still require individual prescriptions under the company’s interpretation of state policies. The new orders in Arizona and Maine are likely to change this policy, allowing residents to access the vaccine more easily.
State-Level Actions to Expand Vaccine Access
At least 14 states, including 12 with Democratic governors, have announced policies this month to expand access to Covid-19 vaccines. In some states, such as Delaware and New Jersey, pharmacies were already providing the shots broadly, while in others, like Arizona and Maine, the new orders are expected to change the policy. While most Republican-controlled states have not changed their vaccine policies, the inoculations are still available under existing policies.
Additionally, four states – California, Hawaii, Oregon, and Washington – have formed an alliance to make their own vaccine recommendations. Only Oregon currently does not allow Covid-19 vaccines to be administered in pharmacies without individual prescriptions.
Federal Guidance and Vaccine Controversy
The US Food and Drug Administration has approved Covid-19 vaccines for people aged 65 and over, as well as for children and younger adults with risk factors such as asthma or obesity. This change in guidance has been controversial, with some arguing that it limits access to the vaccine. The US Health Secretary’s decision to fire the entire Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in June and replace them with vaccine skeptics has also sparked debate.
Arizona Governor Katie Hobbs framed her order as “protecting the health care freedom” of people in the state, while Maine Governor Janet Mills stated that she would not “stand idly by while the Trump Administration makes it harder for Maine people to get a vaccine that protects their health and could very well save their life.”
Florida Takes a Different Stance on Vaccines
Florida’s surgeon general, Dr. Joseph Ladapo, announced this month that the state could become the first to eliminate requirements for children to have a list of vaccinations. However, the state health department later clarified that the change would likely not take effect until December and that only some vaccines, such as the chickenpox vaccine, would become optional. The measles and polio shots would remain mandatory.
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A sign advertises seasonal flu and COVID-19 vaccines at a CVS Pharmacy in Miami, Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)
Image Source: www.twincities.com
