SALT LAKE CITY — If you're not sure whether you're supposed to get the COVID vaccine this year, you're not alone. Medical professionals have also been confused by this year's federal guidance, and it could affect your ability to find the shot at your local pharmacy.
Last week, the Advisory Committee on Immunization (ACIP) released guidance that weakened shot recommendations across the United States. As such, pharmacies are only giving the vaccine to those under 65 if they have a prescription.
The panel consists of 12 members who were handpicked by Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Medical professionals are now waiting to see if the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) releases a differing recommendation.
"We’re hoping that the recommendation from CDC will be official in the next week or few days," said Dr. Leisha Nole, the Utah State Epidemiologist. "After that, people should be able to get it without a prescription."
But there are no guarantees as to whether the CDC will agree or disagree with the ACIP.
The confusion has led some pharmacies in Utah to order vaccines late. In some cases, pharmacies decided not to order them at all.
"Some of the customers, they really become mad," said Dr. Kamran Khan, lead pharmacist at Olive Pharmacy in West Valley City. "This year I have not ordered anything because I wasn't sure... It has impacted our business."
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Dr. Kamran said it's abnormal to not receive federal guidance until late September and that he hopes customers understand why they've been waiting for clarity.
Dr. Nolen sympathized with local pharmacies.
"It's hard," she said. "Things have been fairly unclear, so I can understand why they wanted to see what the official decision was... I think we know there’s a lot of factors influencing what these decisions are. I really hope, and we all really should depend on (these decisions) being based in science, and I’m hoping that’s where the recommendations come from."
A spokesperson for the Salt Lake County Health Department said it has plenty of vaccines. Officials there are worried about the opposite, that the demand won't match the supply.
"I think we'd love to run out of these vaccines," said Dr. Nolen. "The more vaccines we get in the arms, the less people we see in the hospital. So if we could run out, that would be great. We’ll order more. We’ll find ways to get more vaccines if people need it."
The Utah Department of Health and Human Services will be tracking COVID, influenza, and RSV on its website. For those who are not sure what to do, they recommend speaking with your doctor to make the best health decisions for yourself.
