WASHINGTON STATE – The Washington State Department of Health has issued a standing order for the COVID-19 vaccine, making it easier for Washington residents to get vaccinated.

The standing order, announced Friday, allows most Washington residents to go directly to a pharmacy or clinic and receive the COVID-19 vaccine without an individual prescription.

“The barriers to COVID-19 vaccination are complex, and the standing order is just one part of the solution,” State Health Officer Dr. Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett said in a written statement. “We want to ensure all Washington residents have access to the protection these vaccines provide based on the best available science.”

His action comes after the state along with Oregon and California formed the West Coast Health Alliance earlier this week. Hawaii joined Thursday.

The alliance is a direct response to concerns that recent federal actions have undermined the independence of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and politicized the use of science in ways that will harm public health.

Alliance members will establish a process to provide evidence-based unified recommendations to their residents regarding who should receive immunizations and help ensure the public has access to credible information for confidence in vaccine safety and efficacy.

“Washington State will not compromise when it comes to our values: science drives our public health policy,” said Secretary of Health Dennis Worsham. “Our commitment is to the health and safety of our communities, protecting lives through prevention, and not yielding to unsubstantiated theories that dismiss decades of proven public health practice.”

After Washington joined the alliance, the Department of Health reaffirmed its guidance that everyone 6 months and older, including pregnant people, should stay up to date on COVID-19 vaccinations to protect against severe illness, hospitalization, and death.

This recommendation aligns with guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and the American Academy of Family Physicians.

“COVID-19 vaccines are well-researched, well-tested, and have saved millions of lives around the world,” Kwan-Gett said.

Washington’s standing order comes after the Food and Drug Administration last month approved updated COVID-19 vaccines for the fall and, under the recommendation of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., only recommended the vaccine to those over 65 and people with existing health problems.

That approach severely limits access to COVID shots across the country.

In Washington, the vaccine remains covered by most private insurers, Apple Health, and Washington’s Adult Vaccine and Childhood Vaccine programs.

While some health care providers have already received this season’s COVID-19 vaccine, other providers are still waiting to receive supplies of the updated vaccine, which may limit appointments.

Supply through the Childhood and Adult Vaccine programs are not available yet, and may not be available until late September or October, according to the Department of Health.

In its announcement Friday, the department urged residents to remain “patient but vigilant” in staying up to date on vaccinations.

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