NY Governor Kathy Hochul Expands COVID Booster Access via Executive Order

Expanding COVID Booster Accessibility

• ⚡ Governor Kathy Hochul has signed an executive order to make COVID booster shots more accessible across New York State.
• 🎯 This action directly challenges new federal guidance that restricted booster access.

Pharmacist Authority to Prescribe

• 📜 The executive order empowers pharmacists in New York to both prescribe and administer the COVID vaccine.
• 💡 This aims to streamline the process, removing the previous requirement for patients to obtain a separate prescription from a doctor.
• 🚀 The goal is to restore accessibility to what people were generally used to in the past.

Addressing Federal Guidance

• ⚠️ The move is described as a direct rebuke to the FDA's recommendation that boosters only be for those over 65 or with underlying health conditions.
• 🗣️ Governor Hochul stated that the federal administration is "ignoring science" and making decisions with negative health effects.

Patient Access and Coverage

• 🩺 For individuals with underlying conditions like asthma or obesity, pharmacists can write the prescription.
• 📝 For others without specific underlying conditions, patients can now sign a routine waiver at the pharmacy to receive the booster.
• 💰 The vaccine is expected to be covered by Medicaid or health insurance.

Communication and Future Legislation

• 📢 The state's immediate focus is on communicating these changes to pharmacies and doctor's offices before a broader public announcement.
• ⏳ This executive order is considered a temporary emergency measure until the state legislature can pass similar legislation into law.