NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is moving away from a blanket recommendation for COVID-19 vaccines for all Americans — instead, the agency now says people should discuss the vaccine with their doctor to decide what's right for them.

This policy change means patients must now talk to a health care provider before getting a COVID-19 vaccine. In Virginia and North Carolina, you do not need a prescription.

The CDC adopted the change after it was recommended by a new group of vaccine advisers picked by U.S. Health Secretary Robert Kennedy Jr.

Local health leaders, like Cindy Williams, who's a pharmacist with Riverside Health, weighed in on the guidance.

She says she hopes the change won't create barriers for individuals seeking vaccines.

"I really hope it

See Full Page