WASHINGTON — A top federal health official has approved recommendations allowing anyone over the age of 6 months to receive an updated Covid-19 shot after discussing the risks and benefits with their provider. While the updated recommendation maintains insurance coverage for those who want the vaccine, it doesn’t specify whether some individuals will still need a prescription to access the shot, as approved by the Food and Drug Administration in August.

The acting director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Jim O’Neill, announced Monday that he had signed off on the recommendations issued by a panel of advisers to the agency more than two weeks ago. He also approved a recommendation that children under the age of 4 receive the combined measles, mumps, rubella vaccine and

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