Drugstores are ready to deliver updated COVID-19 vaccines this fall and insurers plan to pay for them, even though the shots no longer come recommended by an important government committee.

On Friday, vaccine advisers picked by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declined to specifically recommend the shots but said people could make individual decisions on whether to get them.

The recommendations from the advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention require sign-off by the agency's director, but they are almost always adopted.

Those recommendations normally trigger several layers of insurance coverage and allow drugstores in many states to deliver the shots. But insurers and government officials have said coverage will continue, and several states have allowed for vaccine access through pharmacies, the most common place to get shots.

Many people start seeking vaccinations in the late summer or early fall to get protection against any winter surges in cases.

Here's a closer look at the issue and what Nevadans need to know.

Can I get a COVID-19 vaccination in Nevada?

The short answer is: Yes. 

The longer answer is that there’s been confusion as the Trump administration narrowed its recommendation on who should be vaccinated for COVID. The new guidance led pharmacy retailers to reevaluate what they were able to do under state laws, which often rely on federal guidance. 

In Nevada, the major retail pharmacies CVS and Walgreens stopped offering the latest COVID vaccine on Aug. 28, pending changes at the federal level and fears that they would get too far ahead of state law. State law requires that registered pharmacists comply with recommendations and practices approved by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices.

The Nevada State Board of Pharmacy, however, released new guidance on Sept. 5 that stipulated pharmacists could widely administer the vaccine. Both major retailers are now offering it in Nevada.

Will insurers cover these shots?

Many are expected to do so, but you still may want to check with yours.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said Friday that the committee vote "provides for immunization coverage through all payment mechanisms." An HHS spokesperson said that includes Medicaid, the Children's Health Insurance Program, commercial coverage sold through health insurance marketplaces and the federal Vaccines for Children (VFC) program, which pays for roughly half of childhood vaccinations in the U.S. each year and provides free vaccinations to children from low-income households.

The VFC program normally automatically covers any vaccines recommended by the CDC committee.

The trade group America's Health Insurance Plans said earlier this week that its members will continue to cover the shots at no cost to patients through 2026.

That group includes every major insurer except UnitedHealthcare. And that insurer has said it will continue covering the vaccine at no cost for its standard commercial coverage, which includes plans offered for individuals and through small businesses.

One caveat: Large employers that offer coverage will make their own decisions on the vaccines.

They may be motivated to continue coverage: The vaccines can help ward off expensive hospital bills from people who develop a bad case of COVID-19.

People who aren’t insured or don’t have coverage of the vaccine through their insurance plan may need to pay out of pocket. CVS said the COVID-19 vaccine will cost patients $224.99 if they have to pay on their own.

If that price is out of reach, the Southern Nevada Health District (SNHD) and Northern Nevada Public Health (NNPH) may be able to help starting early next month.

SNHD says updated COVID-19 vaccines for uninsured and underinsured individuals will soon be available in limited supply at their health district clinics. 

SNHD spokesperson, Jennifer Sizemore, said SNHD is still waiting on the vaccines though their VCF and 317 program funding and once they are available the vaccines will come at a $22 administrative fee, with majority of the funding coming from federal grants.

Scott Oxarart, a spokesperson for NNPH, said they’re planning on offering updated COVID-19 vaccines starting at the beginning of next month.

Both agencies are waiting for the CDC to sign off on the delivery of the vaccines following ACIP meetings that occurred Sept. 18 and 19.

“During the pandemic we did drive-through vaccinations for everyone who wanted one, and that’s what’s being expected by us again,” Oxarart said. “What’s different this time around is that these programs are intended for those that are under or uninsured. If you do have insurance, your best option is to go to your local pharmacy.”

Where can people get vaccinations?

About two-thirds of adults get COVID-19 shots at pharmacies, and around 30 percent receive them at doctors' offices, according to CDC data.

Access to the shots has grown after a clunky start to vaccine season that saw some people travel to nearby states when they couldn't make appointments at pharmacies closer to home.

Drugstore chains such as CVS say their locations are stocked with the latest vaccines, and they now are able to deliver vaccinations in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Prescriptions are required in D.C. and a handful of states, including Florida and Georgia, CVS Health spokeswoman Amy Thibault said.

Thibault said in an email that Nevadans are able to go to their nearest CVS and walk in without a prescription to get the most up-to-date COVID-19 shot.

Walgreens also requires prescriptions in a few states, a company spokesperson said.

Walgreens did not respond to The Nevada Independent’s request for comment by the time of publication, but Nevadans are able to go online to schedule an appointment for the COVID-19 or influenza vaccinations without a prescription.

Who can get the shot

Until now, the U.S. has recommended yearly COVID-19 shots for everyone age 6 months and older.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved the shots for all people age 65 and older, and for younger adults and children with conditions that put them at high risk for catching a bad case of COVID-19.

The CDC maintains a long list of conditions that would put someone at high risk, including asthma, cancer, heart or lung problems, obesity, depression and a history of smoking. It also includes those who are physically inactive, and the agency notes that this list is not conclusive.

Patients can consult with their doctor or care provider to decide whether they are at high risk if they don't have a condition on that list.

Both CVS and Walgreens representatives say their companies will ask patients under age 65 if they have any of these factors. They won't require proof.

"In simplest terms, if a patient says they're eligible, they will get the vaccine," said Thibault, the CVS Health spokeswoman.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute's Science and Educational Media Group.