How Are You Supposed To Get The COVID Vaccine Now? An Explainer | Defector

"As the muggy malaise of summer winds down, you might find yourself interested in taking advantage of one of several safe and proven vaccines to help protect you from the inevitable brumal surge of respiratory illnesses. You might be interested in conveniently booking an appointment at your local pharmacy, showing up on time, and walking away with a cutesy band-aid and the knowledge that you are lucky to partake so easily in the storied, life-saving tradition of immunization."

"On Aug. 27, the Food and Drug Administration approved this year's COVID-19 vaccines, which were previously recommended for most adults to protect from severe illness, hospitalization, and death. But the new vaccine comes with new, prohibitive guidelines designed to make it difficult for most people to get it. In a post on Twitter, Kennedy said the guidelines fulfilled his promises to "end covid vaccine mandates" and "keep vaccines available to people who want them, especially the vulnerable.""

"This is a lie. The new guidelines erect enormous barriers for people who want the vaccine, including the vulnerable. The guidelines will result in fewer people getting the vaccine, which will result in more people dying. As someone who is under 65 years old and wants a COVID-19 vaccine, I set out to understand how available they really are. You will never guess what I found!"

On Aug. 27, the Food and Drug Administration approved this year's COVID-19 vaccines but limited approval to people older than 65 and to people older than six months with high-risk conditions. The FDA's restriction departs from prior approvals that covered everyone six months and older and contradicts major medical organization recommendations. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed that the guidelines ended mandates and preserved access for the vulnerable, but the guidelines impose large barriers that will reduce vaccination uptake and increase preventable deaths. Many people under 65 who seek vaccination now face reduced availability and increased obstacles to receipt.

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