Anyone six months or older can now get a COVID-19 vaccination even if they don’t have an underlying condition — but some patients are still under the impression that it’s out of reach.
On Sept. 19, an advisory committee for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention clarified that individuals can decide for themselves if they want a COVID-19 vaccine.
So, any pharmacy can offer the vaccine to anyone six months or older. But that news has been slow to circulate.
Will Edwards owns Sid’s Pharmacy in Pullman, Washington, and Northwest Pharmacy in Potlatch, Idaho. Many Idahoans, Edwards said, have shown up at his Pullman location because of Washington’s blanket approval of the vaccine. They’ve been uncertain about whether they could get it in their home state.
" There's a lot of people who come from Idaho saying, ‘Can I come over across state lines? Can I get in?’” Edwards said.
Now that anyone is allowed to get the vaccine, it’s still unclear how many pharmacies in states like Idaho are pivoting to broaden requirements based on the new information.
Edwards said until at least Sept. 19, some pharmacies were asking for doctor’s approval.
“We (were) getting people from Idaho where their pharmacy is essentially saying that they need a prescription from their doctor to get it, because of that confusion,” Edwards said.
Idaho pharmacies can offer the vaccine, though. Laura Buchanan, a pharmacist at Hodgins Drug and Hobby in Moscow, has been administering COVID-19 vaccinations since Sept. 11.
Even before that update, she said, many younger people did qualify based on a list of underlying conditions that can increase a person’s risk of severe illness.
“Some of the examples are obvious things like cancer and lung disease,” she said. “There's also any type of mental health condition, including things like depression and ADHD and anxiety.”
How to get the COVID-19 vaccine
Now, Hodgins Drug and Hobby does not require a patient to claim any underlying conditions to get a COVID-19 vaccination, Buchanan said.
While pharmacies are allowed to provide the vaccine to anyone who wants one, it’s not clear how many do offer it now that it’s allowed. Some also do not provide children’s vaccines.
Buchanan recommends patients call a pharmacy to check that the desired vaccine is in stock, and schedule appointments ahead of time.
As of Sept. 26, some large retail pharmacies still had messages on their online vaccine scheduling systems that might lead patients to think they’re ineligible.
A CVS pop-up message stated patients between six months and 64 years old were eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine if they had certain preexisting conditions. Walgreens’ scheduler asks patients to confirm they are eligible, and listed health conditions that put a patient at risk for severe illness.
Edwards said it might take more time for larger pharmacies to update their systems.
“I have two locations that do this, and I can just blast a text message throughout and just say, ‘This is what I expect, this is what we're doing,’” Edwards said.
Washington, along with partnering states including Oregon, California and Hawaii, has moved to provide broad approval for anyone who wants a COVID-19 vaccination to get one.
Insurance coverage and low-cost options
Most insurance companies in the region, along with many Medicaid and Medicare plans, are continuing to cover most COVID-19 vaccines, though patients should check if they’re unsure. Patients should also be aware that their insurance may not cover vaccines at an out-of-network pharmacy.
Edwards said he’s also seen a few cases where a next-generation COVID vaccine by Moderna, which offers a stronger illness prevention than the older formula, was not covered.
For people without insurance coverage, the best place to go depends on where you live.
In Washington, local health departments offer low-cost vaccine options to children and adults. Whitman County Public Health’s community clinic offers $20 vaccine programs for children and adults, regardless of how many vaccines are needed.
In Idaho, some federally qualified health centers may be able to offer lower-cost vaccinations. One FQHC with a location in Lewiston, Idaho, CHAS Health, said it was on a waiting list to receive COVID-19 vaccines, but did not yet have them in stock.
