Helpful article on COVID-19 vaccine access

[u/sassafrassadocious]

We CANNOT give up on sharing information on how people can access COVID-19 vaccines in the coming months. Found this article helpful and hope others do too. https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/who-is-eligible-for-the-covid-vaccine-in-2025-and-how-to-get-it/

[u/MeisterX]

I'm glad we're continuing to spread information, but I want to point out that "healthy adults" needing a physician visit, a script, and insurance not being required to cover it are all essentially preventing vaccination. Is it possible? Yes. No one's going to do that--certainly not en masse.

It's a functional ban and should be viewed and treated as such.

Vote them out. Now. Removal, immediately.

[u/sassafrassadocious → u/MeisterX]

I totally agree with you. It's catastrophic and we still need to be taking political actions to deal with it. I just don't want to give up on pointing people to access. It's likely that any political action (however necessary) is not going to happen in time for a respiratory virus season. Plus I think this information helps others articulate their access problems and take action. We need more of the population caring about and understanding the vaccine access issues and ultimately calling their reps.

[u/ilikecacti2 → u/MeisterX]

Ok but the list of “high risk” conditions is literally so deliberately broadly inclusive, subjective, and has multiple things on it that wouldn’t even be part of your typical health history (any past tobacco use, SDOH, inactive lifestyle, etc.) anyone who wants it can just say they have one of those conditions. It’s really frustrating that people keep repeating that healthy adults need a prescription, because then healthy adults casually scrolling are going to think they need a prescription and not bother.

[u/HappyAnimalCracker → u/ilikecacti2]

What worries me is that people could claim to have a condition, which then becomes part of their record, which then becomes a reason to discriminate against them. They’ve already admitted to wanting to round up those with mental illness.

[u/ilikecacti2 → u/HappyAnimalCracker]

That doesn’t worry me because for one thing medical records are so disjointed in this country, like just go to a pharmacy you don’t normally pick up prescriptions at and it’ll never get sent to anyone or connected to anything unless you specifically ask them to. Also there are multiple things on the list that are super subjective and aren’t even medical conditions like having an inactive lifestyle. It also says “Some people are at increased risk of getting very sick or dying from COVID-19 because of where they live or work, or because they can’t get health care. This includes many people from racial and ethnic minority groups and people with disabilities,” but I guess it’s not quite clear if that’s actually part of the list that qualifies you to get the vaccine or just more general info on the page.

[u/Substantial-Spare501 → u/ilikecacti2]

In NY state as of right now I can’t get it at CVS or Walgreens unless a physician sends in a prescription for me. You can self select that you have a health issue but you can’t get it without a prescription.

[u/kalcobalt]

Thank you for this. As a high-risk person who was denied a 6-month booster back in what I now realize was “the good old days,” I’ll be printing this out and highlighting all my conditions before I try to get it this time around.

[u/iago_williams]

I'm 65 and was told by Walgreens to get a prescription. I'm in one of those states that hamstrings pharmacists. My pcp wrote an old school paper scrip so I can shop it around if Walgreens gives me grief. I am scheduled for next week.

Most people aren't going to bother, be discouraged and give up. Not good with school starting.

[u/thunbergfangirl]

What about all the children who are going to go unvaccinated? The infants? The 3 year olds?

I pray that there are sensible pediatricians out there who will try to gain access for their young patients.

[u/deadbeatsummers → u/thunbergfangirl]

My daughters appointment is in two weeks. I’m hoping we can get it…

[u/sweetteaspicedcoffee]

I love scientific american.

[u/Captodometer → u/[deleted]]

CVS has the new vaccine, at least in Los Angeles. My appointment is next week.

[u/Gardenadventures]

Anyone know why Pfizer approval was pulled for kids under 5? Weird that they didn't include Moderna in that.

[u/MeisterX → u/Gardenadventures]

Moderna's approval process was different. I disagree with it but the Pfizer vaccine was available for under 5 on an emergency authorization which is what was pulled.

[u/Gardenadventures → u/MeisterX]

Okay, thanks. I wasn't sure if Moderna was still on emergency authorization. Appreciate the info