10/09/2025

COVID Shots Are about to be Widely Available Again

U.S. residents will be able to get one if they want

COVID-19 vaccines shots are about to become widely available again across the United States, following several weeks of confusion around who would be able to get them this fall. Uncertainty over federal vaccine policy had caused a temporary patchwork of access across the country, with shots being offered in some places and not others.

This week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention CDC) issued new guidance around the use of COVID vaccines, dropping a broad recommendation for vaccination and instead leaving the choice up to individuals. While it marks a change in official CDC policy, the guidance allows shots to be rolled out to pharmacies, and for states to once again offer them to people of all ages.

Prior to this fall, the CDC universally recommended the COVID vaccine for anyone 6 months or older. The agency’s new guidance, drafted by a panel of experts handpicked by Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., said that individuals should consult with a healthcare provider before getting the shot, what the agency calls "individual-based decision-making." The CDC’s definition of providers includes physicians, nurses and pharmacists.

Please select this link to read the complete article from WIRED.