Has COVID been going around your workplace or household? You’re not alone there. It seems like it’s been making the rounds for weeks now.
Just recently this season’s COVID booster shot became available, along with the updated flu shot. But after changes to vaccine guidance from the Trump administration, many folks might be wondering if they can actually get one.
Catherine Troisi, of UTHealth Houston School of Public Health, joined Texas Standard to share some insights. Listen to the interview above or read the transcript below.
This transcript has been edited lightly for clarity:
Texas Standard: I remember back when COVID vaccines were just becoming available for the general public and in order to get one you had to qualify for it. Then, of course, the boosters largely became available to anyone who wanted one.
Now it seems there’s some confusion over whether you have to qualify for a COVID booster or what the availability is more generally and so forth. What’s going on here?
Catherine Troisi: Yeah, there is confusion. And FDA a couple of weeks ago, if you remember, changed the guidance that if you were 65 or older, you could get the vaccine, no questions asked – the booster. If you were younger than that, you had to have a condition, a medical condition that put you at high risk.
However, the committee on immunization practices that met last week threw a wrench into that. And luckily they did not say you needed to have a prescription, but now they are calling it shared decision-making. You need to consult with your healthcare provider to see whether a vaccine is recommended in your case.
The question is, how do you do that? I mean, obviously you can make an appointment, talk to your doctor, get the shot there if they have the booster in the clinic. But if you want to go to a pharmacy to get your booster, which last year, 70-80% of people did, that’s where the questions lie.
Well, let me stop you right there because you say that you don’t need a prescription for it, but I can’t tell whether they’re saying you must speak to your doctor and get an okay from your doctor before you actually seek one out or if you know what your doctor would say, you go to the HEB or the CVS or wherever they’re doing shots and you say, “yeah, I need to get one because I know my doctor, my doctor would want me to have one, so let’s rock and roll.”
Are you going to be able to get your shot?
Nobody really knows and it may depend on what state you live in whether pharmacists will be able to give those vaccines.
Well, now, when you say “what state you live in,” individual states have different policies on COVID shots?
Yes, and, you know, the CDC says that “your health care provider” – what does that mean? They say primary care physician, specialist, PAs, nurse practitioners, registered nurses, and pharmacists can help you make that decision.
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Pretty much anyone, almost. I mean, you know, it sounds like they’re wanting you to get an informed decision, more like guidance almost.
Right. And in Texas, the pharmacist apparently can do that. Other states may not, by law in that state, the pharmacist may not be able to do that. It’s very complicated and confusing.
And even for people over 65 years of age, where we know they’re at high risk of hospitalization and dying if they get COVID, you’re still supposed to talk to your doctor or a healthcare provider before getting the shot.
And as you said, we don’t know what that means. If I have a doctor’s appointment and I say I’m 75, should I get the shot? And they say, “yes, of course.” Do I just tell the pharmacist that? How does it work?
Do you know if COVID shots are still being covered by insurers?
So yes, this does allow for them to be covered by insurance.
And in fact, no matter what the [Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices] ACIP had said, the health plans which recognize how important these vaccines are have said they will cover any vaccine that was recommended by ACIP on Sept. 1 – that is before this latest iteration of the ACIP met – would be covered through next year.
What other things should people know when it comes to these new COVID boosters?
So the COVID booster matches quite well with the strain that has been circulating. And you’re right, we are seeing an increase in number of cases in Texas and other parts of the country.
And it may not protect you from getting sick, but it will provide good protection against getting hospitalized and serious consequences.
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