North Hills residents react to CVS prescription requirements for COVID-19 vaccine

Some of the country’s largest pharmacy chains, including CVS, are now requiring a prescription for COVID-19 vaccines. It’s a change that comes as the FDA narrows approval for who can get the shot.

Last week, the FDA narrowed eligibility for this fall’s COVID shot, limiting it to adults 65 and over or younger people who have an underlying health condition. But for now, those people in Pennsylvania are required to bring a prescription to pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens. CVS says that will be the case in 13 states and D.C. until the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) officially issues its recommendations. But even then, eligibility will depend on age.

Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro issued a statement on X, saying “The Trump Administration’s outrageous decision to limit access to the COVID vaccine is an affront to Pennsylvanians’ personal freedom and parental rights. Healthcare decisions should be up to you – not the federal government and certainly not RFK Jr.”

Channel 11 spoke with some people in the North Hills, who agreed with making their own decisions about their own health but said they prefer to make those choices with their primary care physicians.

“With vaccines, I’d rather go through my doctor anyway. We do our flu vaccine, we do pneumonia, things like that – so anything that is a vaccine, I’m going to ask my doctor first,” said Helen Kaiser.

“I actually think it’s a very good idea,” said Patrick Maxwell of Ross Township. “I think it is very advisable to work with your physician to make sure that everyone is on the same page with what you’re injecting into yourself.”

In his statement, Governor Shapiro said his administration is currently reviewing all of its options to ensure Pennsylvanians have access to the healthcare they want and will have more to say soon.

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