WV Pharmacy Board Adopts CDC COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations

WV Board of Pharmacy

Published October 6th, 2025

Detected March 19th, 2026

Summary

The West Virginia Board of Pharmacy has adopted the CDC's recommendations for the 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccines. This guidance allows pharmacists, technicians, and interns to administer vaccines to individuals aged 3 years and older, based on individual decision-making and CDC risk factor guidelines.

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What changed

The West Virginia Board of Pharmacy (WV BOP) has issued guidance adopting the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's (CDC) recommendations for the 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccine season. This update authorizes pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy interns in West Virginia to order and administer COVID-19 vaccines to individuals aged 3 years and older, aligning with CDC guidelines that emphasize individual decision-making, particularly for those over 65 or with underlying conditions.

Regulated entities, specifically healthcare providers and pharmacists in West Virginia, should review the updated CDC recommendations and the WV BOP's specific authorization. Pharmacists are to provide education on risks and benefits, administer the Vaccine Information Statement (VIS), and follow package insert instructions for dosing and storage. Parental consent is required for minors aged 3-17, and patient consent for adults 18 and older. This guidance clarifies the scope of practice for vaccine administration within the state.

What to do next

Review CDC recommendations for 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccines.
Familiarize with WV 15 CSR 12 regarding vaccine administration by pharmacists, technicians, and interns.
Ensure proper patient/parental consent and Vaccine Information Statement (VIS) provision for all vaccinations.

Source document (simplified)

COVID-19 25/26 CDC Recommendations Authorized - Current Topics

COVID-19 25/26 CDC Recommendations Authorized

By k Capehart 10/6/2025 Good afternoon,

This morning the CDC adopted the recommendations from the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices for COVID-19 25/26 vaccines that were voted for on September 19, 2025. The CDC notice is available here.

This includes:

Those ages 6 months and older: vaccination for COVID-19 be determined by individual decision-making. The pharmacist can be the provider providing the education to assist with the individual decision making. Patient attestation is satisfactory and no additional documentation for conditions during the individual (shared) decision making is necessary
All individuals over age 65 years and those under age 65 with conditions that put them at increased risk for severe COVID-19 benefit the most from vaccination.
Those who are at increased risk of severe COVID-19 can be found here https://www.cdc.gov/covid/risk-factors/index.html and includes a wide range of conditions and situations.
Education about the risks and benefits of the vaccine and provision of the Vaccine Information Statement (VIS), as required by law), is important just as it is with all vaccines.
Please review the package inserts for these products for dosing, administration, storage, etc. Pharmacists in WV may now proceed to order and pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, and pharmacy interns administer as permitted by WV 15 CSR 12 to persons ages 3 years and older per CDC recommendations with parental informed consent (ages 3-17 years) and with patient informed consent (ages 18 and older). Remember, there is always information available on the website under “FAQs” and “Immunizations” at www.wvbop.com

Flu recommendations were finalized in June 2025 and remain nearly everyone 6 months and older.

Please let me know if you have any additional questions.

Krista Capehart, PharmD, MS, BCACP, FAPhA

WVBOP, Director of Professional and Regulatory Affairs