New York Governor Kathy Hochul signed an executive order on Friday allowing pharmacists across the state to administer Covid-19 vaccines to anyone who requests one, directly challenging the Trump administration’s newly imposed restrictions on inoculations. The order, signed during Hochul’s visit to an elementary school, will remain in effect for 30 days but may be extended until the state legislature reconvenes in January to pass a long-term measure.
The move comes after the US Food and Drug Administration, under Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., a known vaccine sceptic, restricted access to the updated Covid-19 shots to people over 65 and those with underlying health conditions. In previous years, vaccines were available to all adults.
Following Hochul’s directive, CVS Health confirmed it would provide Covid-19 vaccinations at all its New York pharmacies “as soon as possible.” Kennedy, who has drawn criticism for spreading misinformation about vaccines, faced tough questioning from a Senate panel earlier this week. Since assuming office, he has removed senior scientists and vaccine specialists from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and ousted its director over disagreements on vaccine policy.
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