FDA approved the 2025-26 COVID-19 vaccines for people age 65 and older and for anyone six months and older with at least one underlying condition that raises risk of severe COVID-19. Vaccinations for those groups should be schedulable once authorized providers receive supply, likely in the coming weeks. Other people are not barred from receiving the vaccine but generally need a physician's prescription, since doctors can legally prescribe vaccines off-label. Vaccine availability at pharmacies may lag and require extra effort. Leading medical organizations have disagreed with recent government guidance. Rising cases and approaching winter increase urgency for protection.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on August 27 announced it had approved some COVID-19 vaccines but for far fewer people than in years past. If you tried to schedule a COVID-19 vaccine this week, your pharmacy's online scheduler might have told you it isn't available yet. Meanwhile, leading medical organisations disagree with the government's latest COVID-19 vaccine guidance.
The FDA approved the 2025-26 vaccines for anyone age 65 and older and any person six months and older who has at least one underlying health condition that increases their risk of severe COVID-19 infection. So, people in those groups should be able to schedule vaccinations as soon as healthcare providers who are authorised to administer the vaccine receive it likely in the next few weeks.
You'll need to consult your doctor, who can legally prescribe a COVID-19 vaccine for you even if you don't fall within the categories the FDA specified. Physicians can prescribe medications and vaccines that are beyond the label, beyond the licence, said Dr William Schaffner, Vanderbilt University Medical Center professor of infectious diseases. That's true for adults and children and the practice of prescribing medications and vaccines for off-label use is fairly common in paediatrics, he said.
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