CVS suspends COVID-19 shots in 16 states as fall surge expected

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00:00CVS, the nation's largest pharmacy chain, is no longer offering COVID-19 shots in 16 states,

00:06including Florida, New York, and Pennsylvania, even to vulnerable patients who meet new,

00:12narrowed criteria from the Food and Drug Administration.

00:16The New York Times reports that the move comes due to uncertainty with, quote,

00:21the current regulatory environment, citing a company spokesperson.

00:25Some states prohibit pharmacists from administering vaccines not recommended

00:30by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice, a Center for Disease Control and Prevention panel.

00:36That panel is not scheduled to meet for another three weeks,

00:39and some in Congress are calling for the meeting to be postponed indefinitely

00:42in the wake of high-profile resignations at the CDC.

00:46Last year, the panel recommended updated COVID-19 vaccines in June,

00:50but there is debate among legal analysts whether that recommendation still stands,

00:55and CVS is erring on the side of caution.

00:58Walgreens is also reportedly limiting vaccinations and requiring prescriptions for immunizations.

01:04It comes as COVID-19 cases are on the rise nationwide

01:07and expected to tick up further in the coming months, according to the CDC.

01:13Some doctors are concerned that the barriers to vaccines

01:16may mean fewer people will be immunized during peak COVID season.

01:20Vaccination rates have reportedly fallen dramatically since the height of the pandemic.

01:25A CDC assessment reveals that just 23% of adults and 13% of children

01:29got a COVID-19 vaccine last season.

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