PORTLAND, Ore. — After much confusion , COVID-19 shots are now available at Safeway, Albertsons and CVS pharmacies without a prescription in Oregon and Washington.

"I called earlier and they weren't — and now they are, and I'm going," said a customer outside of the Safeway store in Portland's Pearl District Wednesday.

The confusion began weeks ago when customers got word of new federal guidelines recommending the updated COVID-19 shot be available only to those over 65, those with high medical risk factors or those with a prescription from their doctor.

Many states responded by releasing their own vaccine guidelines. Oregon, Washington, California and Hawaii, as part of the West Coast Health Alliance, issued directives to allow people to receive a COVID-19 vaccine without a prescripti

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