COVID vaccines will now be more widely available in Rhode Island this fall and winter with Gov. Dan McKee’s announcement Friday that pharmacists can vaccinate people under age 65 with no pre-existing medical conditions, and health insurers should cover all COVID vaccines at no cost to patients.
Massachusetts and Connecticut have taken similar steps to preserve access to the COVID vaccine for all groups recommended by major medical academies.
The move follows growing confusion in Rhode Island over who is eligible for the COVID shots and whether insurance will cover them.
The Food and Drug Administration last month narrowed the criteria for who can get the shots to people 65 and older, or people under 65 with underlying health conditions that make them at increased risk for severe illness.
On Friday, the Rhode Island Department of Health issued a standing order to allow pharmacists to administer the new COVID shots to anyone aged 3 years or older, “independent of the FDA indications.” People under age 65 who have no underlying medical conditions will now be able to get COVID shots “off-label” at Rhode Island pharmacies.
The Rhode Island Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner also notified health insurers that they are ”expected” to cover COVID-19 vaccines, which are recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists and/or the American College of Physicians. The direction includes self-funded health plans.
“We are taking action in Rhode Island to ensure that the public health turmoil at the national level does not affect the ability of Rhode Islanders to access vaccines that keep us healthy and safe,’’ McKee said in a statement. “It’s crucial that people who want to get the COVID-19 vaccine have the ability to do so in Rhode Island.”
Rhode Island has among the highest levels of overall vaccination rates in the country, “because we make vaccine access a priority,” state Health Director Dr. Jerry Larkin said in a statement. “We will continue to make the COVID-19 vaccine available, and we will continue to be the source of science and fact-based information about vaccines in Rhode Island.”
In Rhode Island, most people get their COVID vaccinations through a pharmacy or at a health center. CVS and Walgreens have already begun receiving the vaccine, and doctors’ offices and other primary care providers are expected to receive the vaccine in the coming weeks.
Physicians also can administer the 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccine to children 6 months or older. People seeking vaccination for children ages 6 months to 5 years old are advised to do so through their pediatricians or family physicians.
Rhode Islanders who have difficulty accessing the COVID-19 vaccine can contact RIDOH at health.ri.gov or by calling (401) 222-5960.
