New Jersey is breaking ranks with the federal government, expanding access to COVID-19 vaccines for anyone who wants one.

In a significant move this week, the State Department of Health signed off on a new directive that makes the shots available to everyone over six months old without a prescription.

It comes after federal regulators recently scaled back eligibility to only those with medical conditions, putting them at higher risk of severe illness, causing confusion for doctors and families alike.

I'm joined now by Acting Health Commissioner Jeff Brown for more details.

Commissioner, thanks for taking some time to be here with us.

Can you walk us through what this new directive means?

Who's eligible?

Who's not?

Where can they get these shots?

Absolutely, and thank you for having me.

So late yesterday, the Department of Health issued an executive directive allowing anyone six months of age or older to receive the updated 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccines for the this respiratory illness season if they want one.

The department also, to go along with that, issued a standing order which acts as a prescription for anyone to go and receive a vaccine at a pharmacy.

The standing order authorizes pharmacists, pharmacy interns and externs, and pharmacy technicians practicing in the state to administer age-appropriate FDA-approved COVID-19 vaccines to individuals three years of age or older.

Importantly, for any child who's under three years of age, they'll likely need to go see their pediatrician or healthcare provider to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.

But our recommendations are essentially aligned with the recommendations from three professional organizations that have studied these shots.

The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Academy of Family Physicians all recommend that individuals who even if they don't have a high-risk condition do get a booster for the upcoming season.

So our executive directive aligns with those recommendations, responds to the evidence and science that these shots are in fact safe and effective, and the best form of prevention against COVID-19 complications, ensures that anybody can go to a pharmacy in New Jersey and receive one.

So you listed some of the groups that you're taking guidance from, but you are breaking with the FDA.

What about their guidelines did you find problematic?

Well I think what we're doing is trying to clear up confusion and give some comfort to consumers that they can get the COVID-19 shot if they choose to get one.

You know the FDA when they approved the 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccines, they did put restrictions on who was recommended to get them.

Specifically, they're only recommending them to those over the age of 65 and those who have high-risk conditions.

You know, there are lots of individuals though who may not have a high-risk condition.

I'll talk about healthcare workers specifically who work with a lot of individuals who do.

And therefore, getting a vaccine can be an important way not only to protect themselves but protect the patients they serve.

Similarly, there are lots of family members who care for elderly parents or relatives who might have high risk conditions.

Again, this will ensure that they can get a COVID vaccine and protect themselves and their loved ones in this upcoming season.

You know, when we're talking about the federal government, RFK Jr. in the Senate hearing last week said, "Everybody can get a COVID shot if they want one."

And so, you know, what we're doing is trying to clear up confusion and ensure that everybody in New Jersey can indeed get a COVID-19 vaccine if they choose to get one.

We spoke with an independent pharmacist who said, you know, this new order gives them some certainty about what they can and can't do.

How's the department working with pharmacists and pharmacies both to help get the messaging out, but also to make sure that they have the vaccines that they need?

Will they?

We've been talking to stakeholders across the entire healthcare industry and we're going to continue to do that.

That includes pharmacy experts, health insurance plans, physicians, nurse practitioners.

We want to make sure everybody has clarity on what they can recommend to their patients, where patients can access vaccines, and what they can do to help ensure that New Jersey is well vaccinated against COVID-19 and well protected against COVID-19 going into this respiratory season.

I think we'll continue to monitor supplies at pharmacies.

We'll talk to them.

We know as of last week, pharmacies in New Jersey were already starting to stock these vaccines, and we hope that this order will only ensure that more pharmacies stock these and make them available to consumers.

From a public health standpoint, is there concern within the department about the confusion that may already exist, even given this new order, and how you plan to get the messaging out to the public so that they know what's available and when?

And are you concerned that we might see rates drop off even further?

Yeah, I mean, we are concerned about confusion.

And, you know, I think some of the conflicting messaging coming out of Washington has not helped that.

So that's why, you know, this executive directive, the standing order, make it very clear for people.

If you are six months of age or older, you know, and your parent wants you to get a vaccine or you want to get a vaccine, then you're able to do so.

So we're trying to take some of the guesswork and the barriers out of this for people.

We know these vaccines are effective.

We know they are safe.

And we know this is in line with the recommendations of physicians who serve many of the populations that really need to get these vaccines.

So the goal is really to clear up confusion.

And we hope that this executive directive makes it very easy for consumers to access these vaccines.

- Two quick questions for you, Commissioner.

Is the state willing to, or considering going as far as others like Massachusetts by requiring insurers to cover the costs of these vaccines?

So right now we're strongly encouraging consumer insurers to continue doing what they have been doing, which is to largely cover these vaccines without cost sharing for consumers.

That's been the case in past seasons here, and we hope that continues this season.

You know, we'll continue to work with others in state government.

We have an interagency vaccine access work group that we've convened that includes the Department of Banking and Insurance, Department of Human Services, Division of Consumer Affairs, the Department of the Treasury, other state departments who are all working together to make sure we can solve this problem and ensure that our citizens and those who work and visit New Jersey have access to life-saving vaccines.

>> A couple of seconds left.

I know last month you joined with your counterparts up in Rhode Island for the Northeast Consortium.

What did you all discuss, and was it about safeguarding vaccine access?

What's the plan?

>> So, you know, as a public health professional, we know a couple things.

Number one, diseases don't know borders.

And so it's really important for us to collaborate with other states, collaborate with national organizations.

And so, you know, a number of states got together and discussed really how to put public health principles into action.

You know, we certainly discussed vaccines.

We discussed other initiatives.

But, you know, this is really -- it's public health in action.

It's ensuring that we're communicating with our neighboring states.

We're sharing data and resources and making sure that we're following evidence and science to ensure that, you know, the populations that we serve are as healthy and as protected as possible.

All right, New Jersey Department of Health Acting Commissioner Jeff Brown.

Jeff, thanks so much for your time.

Thank you for having me.

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