Sign in Subscribe
Vaccines

Senator Markey Presses Executives on Vaccine Availability Amid COVID-19 Infection Rates Surge

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

Senator Edward J. Markey has sent a letter to the CEOs of CVS Health Corporation and Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc., pressing them to provide information on the state of COVID-19 vaccine availability at their pharmacies. The letter comes as Americans are facing difficulties in accessing updated vaccinations at the nation's largest retail pharmacy chains due to lack of clarity and directives from the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The situation has been exacerbated by the removal of all 17 members of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the rescinding of emergency use authorizations for COVID vaccines by the FDA.

Key Takeaways:

  • The COVID-19 vaccine availability crisis jeopardizes efforts to control transmission, risks increased hospitalizations and long-term illness, and undermines public confidence in the healthcare system.
  • The fault for the breakdown in vaccine access lies with a confluence of factors, including HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s personnel changes, CDC and FDA policy changes, and federal, state, and local rules causing confusion and uncertainty.
  • Pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens are left without clear, consistent national guidance and have to navigate a patchwork of conflicting rules, leading to restricted vaccine access across the country.
  • CVS has reported requiring prescriptions in at least 13 states and Washington, D.C., while suspending vaccine availability in states like Massachusetts, Nevada, and New Mexico until further ACIP guidance is issued.
  • Walgreens has imposed similar limitations, restricting vaccine availability to individuals 65 and older or those meeting narrow high-risk criteria.
  • The disruption of vaccine access endangers protections, especially among communities already facing barriers to healthcare, and exacerbates inequities in rural and underserved areas.
  • Senator Markey has requested responses from CVS and Walgreens CEOs about their decision-making processes, the impact on vulnerable populations, and the actions they are taking to preserve vaccine access.

Statistics:

  • At least 13 states and Washington, D.C. require prescriptions for COVID-19 vaccines at CVS pharmacies. (Source: Markey Senate website)
  • CVS has suspended vaccine availability in states like Massachusetts, Nevada, and New Mexico until further ACIP guidance is issued. (Source: Markey Senate website)
  • Walgreens has imposed similar limitations, restricting vaccine availability to individuals 65 and older or those meeting narrow high-risk criteria. (Source: Markey Senate website)
  • The CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has 17 members who were removed by HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. (Source: Markey Senate website)
  • The FDA has rescinded emergency use authorizations for COVID vaccines and made changes to the approvals to restrict eligibility to adults 65 and older or individuals with high-risk medical conditions. (Source: Markey Senate website)

Sources:

  • Markey, E. J. (2025, September 5). As COVID-19 Infection Rates Rise, Senator Markey Presses Executives on Vaccine Availability at America's Largest Retail Pharmacy Chains. Retrieved from

Read more