Agreed! I'd prefer them in black. But I've tried a lot of N95s and they're by far the most comfortable for me. I also went to a local fit-testing event a while back and confirmed that I'm able to get a perfect seal with them.
Reporter at The New York Times writing about the intersection of health and politics, especially in marginalized communities. NYT Guild steward. No, not one of those Astors.
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Agreed! I'd prefer them in black. But I've tried a lot of N95s and they're by far the most comfortable for me. I also went to a local fit-testing event a while back and confirmed that I'm able to get a perfect seal with them.
I use KF94s for the same convenience you mentioned in low-risk settings (indoors in public, but good ventilation and not crowded). But high-risk settings like planes/airports, trains, doctor's offices I use 3M Aura 9205s. They fit my face well and the nose cushion makes them more comfortable.
As always, there are multiple people coughing at the gate and only three people masking, two of whom are me and my husband, and there is no overlap between the people coughing and the people masking
I appreciate it!
Thanks! Yes, I've been posting about this context and it's been in my article since the moment it published.
I am OFF WORK until Tuesday, Sept. 9. My colleagues will be following vaccine news in the meantime, and I'm sure there will be plenty for me to cover still when I get back. See you later, don't break the world (more) while I'm gone please
Thanks. I think I may have DMs set to people I follow only — I just followed you in case.
I'm not sure if you're asking whether CVS is making exceptions for those people or whether the FDA is. Either way, though, the answer is no. CVS rules for your state are the same regardless of your reason for needing the vax, and the FDA approval doesn't include work-specific eligibility criteria.
Approved by whom?
That's what they're doing in 34 states (you just check a box to say you're eligible). The issue in the remaining states is laws that restrict pharmacists' legal ability to administer vaccines that haven't been recommended by a CDC panel, *even if* the FDA has approved them.
CVS's statements haven't included any caveat about anyone in the states in question being exempt from the prescription requirement, but it's a good question and I'm working to confirm. Walgreens hasn't responded to my inquiries; the reporting on them is based on their online scheduler's messages.
Oh for sure — to be clear, I wasn't at all trying to complain that you weren't giving due credit to the difficulty for me! I was just trying to affirm your point that it's wildly confusing.
Frankly it's almost impossible for me to keep up either, and I'm literally being paid to, which does not say anything good about vaccine accessibility for the general public
It's all about individual state laws surrounding what pharmacists are allowed to do re: vaccines in the absence of a recommendation from the CDC's vaccine advisory panel.
Ohio isn't one of the 16 states
Ugh, this is so weird and frustrating, I'm sorry! I'm able to find appointments by plugging in zip codes in and around several major cities in Ohio, so it's definitely not one of the forbidden states, but it's very possible that supply is an issue. Seeing what I can find out.
CVS website HAS NOT YET been updated from yesterday, when it wasn't offering shots at all in the 13 states where it's now requiring rx. So you'll still get a "not available" error if you try to book in those states. But CVS says they're in process of updating site. Again, states listed in article
Updates on the pharmacy vaccine situation today: CVS is now requiring a prescription in 13 states and not offering shots at all in three others; Walgreens appears to be requiring prescriptions in 16 states, but not all the same ones as CVS. The lists of states are in the article. Gift link:
Yes — that wasn't in my initial post because CVS's initial statement wasn't clear and I had to confirm. But yes, confirmed now, DC is one of the prescription ones.
We're working on updating the article now.
Major update: As of this morning, CVS says it's decided it can offer the vax in 13 of the 16 states IF you get a prescription. Still a big new barrier for many people, but a change from its "no vaccines at all in these states" position yesterday. The three remaining absolute-nos are MA, NV and NM.
Not trying to call this individual out in a quote post, hence the crop, but I've seen several versions of this sentiment and it's wrong. The list is red and blue; it literally includes Massachusetts and New York. The distinguishing factor is esoteric laws on pharmacists' scope of practice.
No. It's a mix of red and blue states. The issue is state laws around pharmacists' scope of practice, which was not a partisan issue when these laws were passed.
Florida is.
The CDC and FDA aren't producing or distributing the vaccines. They just approve/ recommend them (or not). The vaccines are coming from the same manufacturers they always did.
And yeah, pediatric vaccines are a whole other struggle!
Illinois isn't one of the 16 states where CVS is withholding the vaccine. You're correct that in states where it IS offering the vaccine now, you just have to answer yes to that question. But that doesn't help in the 16 states where the vaccine isn't available at CVS for anybody.
Yes, if you have access to a vaccine provider that's allowing self-attestation (meaning you just have to check a box stating that you meet the criteria). But some places, like Walgreens in some states, are requiring a doctor's prescription and not just accepting people's word.
FDA officials cited that list, yes. But the CDC didn't create it for this year's vaccine; it's a longstanding list that the FDA is simply using. A CDC vaccine recommendation is a different, formal process, and some states require a recommendation thru that process to allow pharmacists to vaccinate.
All 16 states are in the article. There's just only three in the first paragraph.
The situation isn't guaranteed to be the same in two weeks. Some states may try to change their rules to allow more flexibility for pharmacists, in which case states currently on the list could leave it. Definitely worth seeing if you can get it somewhere else, but I would not cancel the appointment
I would recommend trying to book an appointment online, ideally at a different CVS, though I understand in many places that's not possible because there's only one nearby.
Based on my reporting, Missouri is not one of the states where CVS is withholding the vaccine. However, it's very possible they don't have it in stock yet since the FDA only approved it yesterday. It's also unfortunately common for individual pharmacists to give incorrect info about corporate policy
This has to do with state laws that — in some states — explicitly forbid pharmacists to administer vaccines that haven't been recommended by the CDC's vaccine advisory panel. Legal experts said the liability concerns are real, given the government's actions/inaction.
Ah, that's odd! I didn't get that particular message for any state when I did my tests (the message for the states where it's unavailable was different). I wonder if that might be their site being overloaded? Please do keep me posted, though — if this is a consistent thing, I want to look into it.
Yes, it is related to state law and yes, states could change their laws.
The article explains. Different states have different laws about the circumstances in which pharmacists can administer vaccines.
The article explains. Different states have different laws about the situations in which pharmacists are allowed to administer shots.
Things have been changing all day — you may get a different result if you try now. I tested all 50 states myself this evening and they matched the list CVS confirmed. But if you try again and still get that message, send me a screenshot please?
bsky.app/profile/magg...
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NEWS: CVS, the largest pharmacy chain in the country, is currently not offering Covid vaccines in 16 states and DC — even to people who meet the new FDA criteria — because the CDC hasn't signed off and isn't expected to do so (if it does so) for at least three weeks.
There is nothing stopping doctors from administering off-label vaccines, but *pharmacists* are prohibited from doing so in many states.
We don't actually have enough info to know if people can get vaccines that way, because we don't know yet if pharmacies will accept patients' word that they qualify or whether they'll require medical documentation. The answer may differ between states, pharmacies and even individual pharmacists.
I didn't say you should. I'm trying to give people as much information as possible to navigate the system that now exists.
And if you've checked the list and you definitely don't meet the criteria, it may still be possible for you to get a Covid shot — just more difficult. You may need to get it at a doctor's office instead of a pharmacy in that case. More details in the article.
The full list (also linked in the article) is here: www.cdc.gov/covid/hcp/cl...
One thing to highlight: The CDC list of high-risk conditions is long and almost certainly encompasses many people who don't think of themselves as high-risk. For example, ADHD, depression, hearing loss, physical inactivity, former smoking. Check the list before concluding you don't meet the criteria
Insurance coverage is also complicated and depends on an upcoming CDC decision. Again, everything I know right now is in the article.
The article explains everything I know. It doesn't mean you can't get it period. It means you'll probably have to find a doctor to give it because it'll likely be hard to get at a pharmacy. In practice, some people might be unable to get it because they can't find a doctor, but many will be able to
ICYMI: Here's what we know about the impact of the FDA's decision to limit Covid vaccine approval, and how people who don't meet the new criteria may be able to get vaccinated. I will update it as I learn more. Gift link:
Why is there an AI bot in my mentions complaining about the NYT paywall in German
The article includes everything I know from my reporting about how people without underlying conditions may be able to get a shot. Here's a gift link if you don't have a subscription.
The FDA approval doesn't include people who live with immunocompromised people, no. As the article discusses, doctors can legally give the vaccine off-label to people who don't meet the FDA criteria, but it's a question of finding a doctor who's willing.
there is a gift link in the very next post
It's up now!
My bank account: for the love of god stop ordering in and start making your own meals The news: 🤡 🤡 🤡
No worries!
It's in the thread, but here it is again www.nytimes.com/2025/08/27/w...
Here's a gift link to my Covid vaccine explainer.
Here's a guide to what the new restrictions on Covid vaccines mean for you, and how you may be able to get a shot if you don't meet the new criteria (age 65+ or a high-risk condition).
The FDA has approved updated Covid shots only for people 65+ and people with high-risk conditions. Here's the news from @by-cjewett.bsky.social and Jacey Fortin; I'll have an explainer coming soon on what this means practically for people who want the vaccine.
Breaking News: At least three people are dead, including a gunman, and more than a dozen others were injured in a shooting at a Catholic school in Minneapolis, officials said. Follow live updates. nyti.ms/4fSUN8I
I was put on a jury in 2014 and had to leave two weeks into the trial because of a medical emergency, and I was so sad because I was enjoying it and wanted to see it through! It's been 11 years and I still haven't been called back.
Federal prosecutors on Tuesday were unable to secure a felony assault indictment against a man who threw a sandwich at a federal agent on the streets of Washington this month, according to two people familiar with the matter.
The amount of reliance on ChatGPT in newsrooms to do a task that a human brain could do in a very short amount of time feels like if the dinosaurs had that asteroid in a slingshot and aimed it at themselves.
Whatever would make you think that?
I appreciate that she included her credentials so I'd know her thoughtful feedback came from an informed place
I feel like I should be grateful for the Satan documentary now that I'm hearing the alternatives
Jesus christ www.nytimes.com/2025/08/26/t...
“Is it possible that satan is not only real, but that his influence on our world is actually [ominous pause] INCREASING?”
He keeps doing this slippery thing where he says the claims he's making might sound outrageous, but "in fact," tales of demonic possession or whatever have existed for millennia, as though the length of the tales' existence is a counter to them sounding outrageous
Narrator talking in an embarrassingly ominous tone about places "where satan crosses over from his realm... into ours"
I'm sitting in a medical suite waiting for my husband to be done with a minor procedure that I have to accompany him home from, and what they've chosen to play on the waiting room TV is a "documentary" about supposed portals to hell and demonic possessions
Is the client supposed to boot my coworker from their desk so they can sit next to me and look at my computer screen while we talk? Why does this word exist?
It's rare, but I have occasionally developed good expert sources from "can I introduce you to" emails from PR people who actually did their homework on what I cover. I've never had a "deskside" meeting, however, and I don't even know how that would work.
Why do PR people insist on using the word "deskside" to refer to the coffees they want to arrange between you and their clients
As climate change makes disasters more severe and frequent, many people are being exposed to unfamiliar threats, or familiar threats of unfamiliar intensity. I made a quiz to help you see if you're prepared. It's not comprehensive—so much goes into disaster preparedness—but it's a starting point.
Yes, the plant is from EasyPlant. No, I will not view this as negating the achievement.
We all need some wins, and today I'm proud to announce that for the first time in either of our lives, my husband and I have kept a houseplant alive long enough to have to repot it
I am not being facetious when I say one of the single biggest improvements in my quality of life from leaving the politics desk is not having to watch and write about the Sunday shows anymore
'Tariffs threaten to hit antibiotics particularly hard. The drugs have very thin profit margins, they are vulnerable to shortages and U.S. production is very limited. Other widely used and vulnerable antibiotics include ciprofloxacin and doxycycline.' www.nytimes.com/2025/08/23/h...
if you're not from or have never been to new york i cannot stress enough how normal the subway is 99% of the time. kids take it to school. everyone is basically chill. you learn to be in proximity with harmless weirdos or minor irritations pretty quick. for all its issues it's an incredible thing
Three of the words in today's 🐝 are not words and no dictionary you cite can convince me otherwise
I HATE IT
I wish I could give you a name or a public product, but it was the excellent NYT tech team that built our in-house CMS
It feels like the OCD "did I turn off the oven?" thing — did I check that fact? I know I checked that fact. But there's no checkmark. Maybe I should check it again to be sure
Our CMS has a feature for fact-checking — once you've confirmed a name/fact/quote/whatever, you hit a button to underline and put a checkmark next to it. I'm fact-checking an interactive that had to be produced in a different CMS, and being unable to put a visual indicator as I go is tormenting me
a heartbreaking - gutting - overview of the scientists we have lost so far under this administration by my colleagues @bxroberts.org @anniewaldman.bsky.social and @pratheekrebala.bsky.social projects.propublica.org/federal-heal...
I'd like to emphasize that you can make a totally above-board donation to support @katiehonan.bsky.social's work at @thecity.nyc right here. All you get in return is great journalism, and a tax deduction. It's up to you whether you itemize any potato chips you include.
In my lifetime, I have read probably 10,000 stories about municipal government in some place or other… and this is easily in the top 5. www.thecity.nyc/2025/08/20/w...
I've felt this sentiment before but I don't think I've ever literally re-enacted this gif before this moment
Court records show that Sean Gardner, a gymnastics coach who worked with young girls, was accused of sexually abusing young gymnasts at an elite academy known for training Olympic champions in Iowa and secretly recording others undressing in a gym bathroom at his prior job in Purvis, Mississippi.
Yeah, it's not that unusual for malaria to be diagnosed in the US — people are infected abroad and develop symptoms after coming home. What's alarming about this case is that it's someone who *didn't* travel abroad.
My favorite example of this: 1 million seconds: ~12 days 1 billion seconds: ~32 years 1 trillion seconds: ~32,000 years
What if a quiz were required before you could get to a chatbot. Like a captcha. It would include questions like "does the chatbot know facts" and "does the chatbot have feelings," and if you fail the test, you can't use it
NOT NOW, MALARIA
I sent this to my husband and I'm just sitting on the couch counting the number of times I hear "what the fuck" from the other room
