Headed for Florida? Better Get Your Shots Before You Go
Category: Health and Wellness Issues
September 10, 2025 — Gov. DeSantis seems to be a big fan of MAHA – Make America Healthy Again – or at least its anti-vax conspiracies. Florida recently eliminated vaccine mandates for school children, which will almost certainly bring polio, measles, and other life-threatening, but preventable, deaths to the State’s school age children. For adults, the problem is the State’s honoring recent changes made by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The new policies, which require prescriptions or the existence of certain underlying conditions to get a shot, are causing chaos and concern. People over 65 can still get the jab in many states without the prescription, but not in Florida. The South Florida Sun Sentinel recently covered the unfolding situation in its “Covid Vaccine Decisions Bringing Anger and Confusion” article.
Walgreens No – CVS with a Prescription
People in Florida are reporting that Walgreens is saying that Covid vaccines are just not available right now because of uncertainties on how to react to the new policies. A Walgreens spokeswoman reported to The Sentinel that “the 2025-26 COVID-19 vaccine is not available at Florida Walgreens” until the state receives “eligibility guidance” from the Advisory Committee of Immunization Practices, or ACIP, a panel of medical and public health experts within the CDC.
Over at CVS, you can still get a COVID shot, but you will need a doctor’s prescription to get it in Florida (Editor’s note: I got mine yesterday in CT without an Rx). An estimated 90% of people get their COVID boosters at a pharmacy because of the convenience.
Other States
There are 11 other states that require medical prescriptions for the COVID boosters: Arizona, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, North Carolina, New Mexico, New York, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia. New York seems to be on the verge of requiring them.
Medicare and Insurance
Medicare is paying for COVID boosters – at least for now. If health insurance companies continue to pay is an open question, given the uncertainty of the new policies from the CDC.
Bottom line
No matter where you live or where you headed, if you would like to get the latest COVID booster you need to check around first. Call your pharmacy or health care provider to see if, and how, you can get one. COVID is still around, so getting a booster seems like a good idea, unless your doctor cautions against it.
Comments: Have you had the most recent booster, or are you thinking about it? Please share your thoughts and experiences in the Comments section below.
Comments on "Headed for Florida? Better Get Your Shots Before You Go"
Admin says:
According to the Associated Press, "The governors of Arizona, Illinois, Maine and North Carolina on Friday joined the growing list of Democratic officials" taken steps to ensure their residents can receive COVID-19 vaccines at pharmacies without prescriptions. CVS reports that currently the vaccines are available in 41 states without prescriptions. See AP article on vaccine availability.
Mike says:
New reporting says the Center For Disease Control may limit access to those age 75 and above. While states may take actions to make the vaccine available, without the CDC recommendation medical insurance may not cover the cost. How many people will not be to afford the hundreds of dollars the vaccine costs?
According to the CDC’s website “ Age remains the strongest risk factor for severe COVID-19 outcomes, with risk of severe outcomes increasing markedly with increasing age.” According to the CDC I’m 60 times more likely to have a severe outcome than those aged 18-29 but they want to restrict access to the vaccine. How does that align with the Make America Healthy Again slogan?
JCarol says:
NY does NOT require a prescription to obtain a Covid booster.
RichPB says:
We got our Covid shot here in NC at CVS yesterday with no concerns at all.
Toni says:
The information on getting Covid shots in FL is out of date. I live in FL and as of Sept. 22nd, all Walgreens that give vaccinations have both kinds of Covid shots, no prescription is needed and there are no other restrictions. Most other locations, such as Publix - no restrictions. For some unknown reason some CVS stores require a prescription from your doctor but those with Minute Clinics inside do not. I got my flu and Covid shot Sept. 27th and while I was at Walgreens several other people came in for their shots. Walgreens does recommend you use their website and make an appt. as it saves waiting and you pre fill out all the paperwork.
Jan Cullinane, author says:
I live in Florida...my husband and I got our Covid shots at CVS last weekend - no problem/no prescription. As it should be.
Complain to your representatives if this isn't the case where you live.