Hochul bypasses Kennedy's restrictions, vaccines will be available to everyone again

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has signed an executive order temporarily allowing pharmacists to vaccinate anyone interested in receiving the COVID-19 vaccine, regardless of new federal restrictions.

This is in response to the policy of Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who has severely restricted the availability of vaccines, reserving them only for the elderly and chronically ill.

Hochul described the situation as extreme and did not rule out extending the executive order. In response to the measures taken by Kennedy, who has been criticized for spreading misinformation and laying off staff at the CDC, a network of Democratic states is emerging – the so-called “West Coast Health Alliance,” which aims to independently evaluate scientific data.

Massachusetts has also ordered the reimbursement of vaccines outside the CDC's recommendations. At the other end of the spectrum is Florida, which is lifting its vaccination mandate.

Experts warn of the impact of misinformation on the decline in vaccination rates in the US, which could have serious consequences for public health.

(reuters, lup)