By GEOFF MULVIHILL, Associated Press

The governors of Arizona and Maine on Friday joined the growing list of Democratic officials who have signed orders intended to ensure most residents can receive COVID-19 vaccines at pharmacies without individual prescriptions.

Unlike past years, access to COVID-19 vaccines has become complicated in 2025, largely because federal guidance does not recommend them for nearly everyone this year as it had in the past.

Here’s a look at where things stand.

Pharmacy chain says the shots are available in most states without individual prescriptions

CVS Health, the biggest pharmacy chain in the U.S., says its stores are offering the shots without an individual prescription in 41 states as of midday Friday.

But the remaining states — Arizona, Florida, Georgia, Louisiana, Maine, North Carolina, Oregon, Utah and West Virginia, plus the District of Columbia — require individual prescriptions under the company’s interpretation of state policies.

Arizona and Maine are likely to come off that list as the new orders take effect there.

“I will not stand idly by while the Trump Administration makes it harder for Maine people to get a vaccine that protects their health and could very well save their life,” Maine Gov. Janet Mills said in the statement. “Through this standing order, we are stepping up to knock down the barriers the Trump Administration is putting in the way of the health and welfare of Maine people.”

Democratic governors have been taking action

At least 14 states — 12 with Democratic governors, plus Virginia, where Republican Glenn Youngkin is governor — have announced policies this month to ease access.

In some of the states that have expanded access — including Delaware and New Jersey this week — at least some pharmacies were already providing the shots broadly.

But in Arizona and Maine, Friday’s orders are expected to change the policy.

While most Republican-controlled states have not changed vaccine policy this month, the inoculations are still available there under existing policies.

In addition to the round of orders from governors, boards of pharmacy and other officials, four states — California, Hawaii, Oregon and Washington — have announced an alliance to make their own vaccine recommendations. Of those, only Oregon doesn’t currently allow the shots in pharmacies without individual prescriptions.

Vaccines have become politically contentious

In past years, the federal government has recommended the vaccines to all Americans above the age of 6 months.

This year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved them for people age 65 and over but said they should be used only for children and younger adults who have a risk factor such as asthma or obesity.

That change came as U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy fired the entire Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices in June, accusing of them of being too closely aligned with the companies that make the vaccines. The replacements include vaccine skeptics.

Arizona Gov. Katie Hobbs, a Democrat, framed her order Friday as “protecting the health care freedom” of people in the state.

One state has taken another stance on vaccines

Florida’s surgeon general, Dr. Joseph Ladapo, announced this month that the state could become the first to eliminate requirements that children have a list of vaccinations.

Since then, though, the state health department said that the change likely wouldn’t take effect until December and that without legislative action, only some vaccines — including for chickenpox — would become optional. The measles and polio shots would remain mandatory.

Associated Press writer Patrick Whittle in Maine contributed to this report.

The number of senior communities springing up across the landscape is an indication of an aging society. These communities provide a safe living environment for seniors, with social activities, meals and minor medical care.

They also provide a sense of relief for those with aging parents. Knowing that mom and dad are being fed and that someone is keeping an eye on them is comforting.

But there’s a downside. The criminal element knows exactly where to find these vulnerable seniors.

It’s common that a person’s mental sharpness declines at some point in life. For example, I have a longtime client who was a top auto executive. After retirement, he was in high demand by auto suppliers. But time began to catch up with him, and as so many retirees eventually do, he moved into a senior community.

Everything was going just fine until the day he answered a phone call from an unscrupulous individual pretending to be from his bank. Believing the impostor’s story, he was swindled out of nearly $10,000. During the conversation, he was told not to answer his phone under any circumstances unless it was from the phony banker himself.

After being unable to reach him by phone all day, his family drove to the facility. It didn’t take long for them to determine that he had been taken. He was unable to provide a good explanation to his family, to the investigating police or to me, his advisor. In short, a slick talking criminal, posing as a banker, stole from a senior. Sadly, my client is not alone.

I am well aware that stealing from seniors is becoming quite prevalent. Nonetheless, I was surprised to learn that scammers cost older people $700 million in 2024. That’s according to the FTC, which defines older people as those beyond the age of 60.

In 2024, 8,269 seniors lost more than $10,000 to impostors. Quite a jump from 2022, when it was slightly under 1,800. Total losses to scammed seniors was $122 million in 2020. Last year, it was more than $700 million.

Scammers use made-up crises to trick seniors, often pretending to be someone of authority, as in my aforementioned client’s “banker.” Or maybe it’s a law enforcement officer with a cockamamie story about a grandchild who desperately and immediately needs money to get out of a dangerous situation. Using today’s technology, a scammer can make almost anything seem real, and senior citizens with money in the bank make ideal targets.

Financial advisors go to great lengths to protect vulnerable clients. We do not act on emails requesting money. Phone calls are made to clients prior to executing any withdrawal requests. If senior financial abuse or fraud is suspected, there are steps advisors can take to make certain everything is in good order before any money is withdrawn.

When opening an account, advisors document a trusted, client-designated person to whom we have permission to contact if any concerns arise.

Nowadays, there are numerous ways investors can directly manage their own funds. That may be fine, but as they age and become more vulnerable, they may lack the time, desire or ability to oversee their finances the way a financial advisor does. Having a financial advisor provides one more set of eyes on the lookout for con artists.

Email your questions to kenmorris@lifetimeplanning.com

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