NY State Health Commissioner Says COVID Vaccine Order Eliminates Federal Confusion

New Yorkers can now get the COVID vaccine directly at pharmacies, following an emergency executive order signed by Governor Kathy Hochul Friday aimed at clearing up federal confusion.

Speaking to Radio Catskill, New York State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald explained the impact:

“What it mainly does is eliminate the confusion. You can go to the pharmacy and get the vaccine like you normally did in years previous…So now your pharmacists can just give you the vaccine like they normally would and they’re happy to do it.”

Children, pregnant people, and healthy adults between 18 and 65 were at greatest risk of being left out under federal guidance, McDonald said:

“Children were one of the biggest groups that weren’t going to get access to the vaccine…Another group that was really going to miss out…were people who are pregnant and another group was anyone between 18 and 65 who just didn’t have an underlying health condition. And all those groups up… a little over 7 million New Yorkers.”

He stressed the importance of empowering pharmacists:

“Because the way the federal guidance came out this year, we had some people who didn’t have an indication for the vaccine…That’s why we had to give the pharmacist the authority to prescribe the vaccine to you and administer the vaccine to you.”

On public concern and vaccine hesitancy, McDonald said:

“In 2024, over 50,000 people in New York were admitted to a hospital related to COVID. Over 2,775 people died related to COVID…The COVID vaccine’s probably the most studied vaccine in the history of our country. It’s safe. It’s the best protection out there. I’m looking forward to getting mine quite frankly.”

Dr. McDonald urged residents to take advantage of the new order:

“Really when you think about it, if you have to contact your doctor…it’s much easier if you can just simply go to the pharmacy yourself and get the vaccine. One thing I did today too was send over a standing order. So I have a standing order now in every pharmacy in New York State. So if you want to go get the vaccine, you can go get the vaccine. We’d love you to do that.”