Drugstores are ready to deliver updated COVID-19 vaccines this fall and insurers plan to pay for them, even though the shots no longer come recommended by an important government committee.

On Friday, vaccine advisers picked by Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declined to specifically recommend the shots but said people could make individual decisions on whether to get them.

The recommendations from the advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention require sign-off by the agency’s director, but they are almost always adopted.

Those recommendations normally trigger several layers of insurance coverage and allow drugstores in many states to deliver the shots. But insurers and government officials have said coverage will continue, and several states have allowed for vaccine access through pharmacies, the most common place to get shots.

Many people start seeking vaccinations in the late summer or early fall to get protection against any winter surges in cases.

Here’s a closer look at the issue.

Will insurers cover these shots?

Many are expected to do so, but you still may want to check with yours.

The Department of Health and Human Services said Friday that the committee vote “provides for immunization coverage through all payment mechanisms.” An HHS spokesperson said that includes Medicaid, the Children’s Health Insurance Program, commercial coverage sold through health insurance marketplaces and the federal Vaccines for Children program, which pays for roughly half of childhood vaccinations in the U.S. each year.

The VFC program normally automatically covers any vaccines recommended by the CDC committee.

The trade group America’s Health Insurance Plans said earlier this week that its members will continue to cover the shots at no cost to patients through 2026.

That group includes every major insurer except UnitedHealthcare. And that insurer has said it will continue covering the vaccine at no cost for its standard commercial coverage, which includes plans offered for individuals and through small businesses.

One caveat: Large employers that offer coverage will make their own decisions on the vaccines.

They may be motivated to continue coverage: The vaccines can help ward off expensive hospital bills from people who develop a bad case of COVID-19.

Where people can get vaccinations

About two-thirds of adults get COVID-19 shots at pharmacies, and around 30% receive them at doctors’ offices, according to CDC data.

Access to the shots has grown after a clunky start to vaccine season that saw some people travel to nearby states when they couldn’t make appointments at pharmacies closer to home.

Drugstore chains like CVS say their locations are stocked with the latest vaccines, and they now are able to deliver vaccinations in all 50 states and Washington, D.C. Prescriptions are required in D.C. and a handful of states, including Florida and Georgia, CVS Health spokeswoman Amy Thibault said.

Walgreens also requires prescriptions in a few states, a company spokesperson said.

Who can get the shot

Until now, the U.S. has recommended yearly COVID-19 shots for everyone age 6 months and older.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently approved the shots for all people age 65 and older, and for younger adults and children with conditions that put them at high risk for catching a bad case of COVID-19.

The CDC maintains a long list of conditions that would put someone at high risk, including asthma, cancer, heart or lung problems, obesity, depression and a history of smoking. It also includes those who are physically inactive, and the agency notes that this list is not conclusive.

Patients can consult with their doctor or care provider to decide whether they are high risk if they don’t have a condition on that list.

Both CVS and Walgreens representatives say their companies will ask patients under age 65 if they have any of these factors. They won’t require proof.

“In simplest terms, if a patient says they’re eligible, they will get the vaccine,” said Thibault, the CVS Health spokeswoman.

The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group. The AP is solely responsible for all content.

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By DAVID FISCHER, Associated Press

FORT PIERCE, Fla. (AP) — A man representing himself in federal court against charges of trying to assassinate Donald Trump last year at his Florida golf course is set to present his closing argument on Tuesday, but a judge has already warned him that his presentation could be cut short if he doesn’t follow the rules.

Ryan Routh and prosecutors will each have one hour and 45 minutes to make their final cases to jurors before they begin their deliberations.

This courtroom sketch shows lead government prosecutor John Shipley speaking during the opening statements of the during the trial of Ryan Routh, who is charged with attempting to assassinate Donald Trump last year at a golf course in South Florida, Thursday, Sept. 11, 2025, in Fort Pierce, Fla. (Lothar Speer via AP)

Prosecutors have said Routh spent weeks plotting to kill Trump, a Republican, before aiming a rifle through shrubbery as Trump played golf on Sept. 15, 2024, at his West Palm Beach country club.

Routh, 59, has pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to assassinate a major presidential candidate, assaulting a federal officer and several firearm violations.

During the final minutes of court Monday, U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon reminded Routh that closing arguments must be tied to evidence and testimony presented during trial. She warned him that failing to follow those restrictions could lead to him losing his closing argument time.

Routh exercised his constitutional right not to testify in his own defense, and Cannon said Routh can’t use his closing argument as a chance to testify without the potential for cross examination.

“This can’t be your opportunity to provide pseudo-testimony outside the context of sworn testimony,” Cannon said.

Routh said he understood, but he also claimed to understand nearly two weeks ago when Cannon gave him similar instructions for his opening statement. Cannon cut him off after less than 10 minutes, explaining that he forfeited his right to continue when he ignored her warnings and veered off topic to talk about Adolf Hitler and the wars in Ukraine and Gaza.

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Routh rested his case Monday morning after questioning just three witnesses — a firearms expert and two character witnesses — for a total of about three hours. In contrast, prosecutors spent seven days questioning 38 witnesses.

Cannon signed off on Routh’s request to represent himself following two hearings in July. The U.S. Supreme Court has held that criminal defendants have a right to represent themselves in court proceedings, as long as they can show a judge they are competent to waive their right to be defended by an attorney. Routh’s former defense attorneys have served as standby counsel since Routh took over his own defense and have been present during trial the past two weeks.

Recounting what happened at the golf course, a Secret Service agent testified earlier in the trial that he spotted Routh before Trump came into view. Routh aimed his rifle at the agent, who opened fire, causing Routh to drop his weapon and flee without firing a shot, the agent said.

Law enforcement obtained help from a witness who testified that he saw a person fleeing the area after hearing gunshots. The witness was then flown in a police helicopter to a nearby interstate where Routh was arrested, and the witness said he confirmed it was the person he had seen.

Just nine weeks earlier, Trump had survived an attempt on his life while campaigning in Butler, Pennsylvania. That gunman had fired eight shots, with one bullet grazing Trump’s ear. The gunman was then fatally shot by a Secret Service counter sniper.

Routh was a North Carolina construction worker who in recent years had moved to Hawaii. A self-styled mercenary leader, Routh spoke out to anyone who would listen about his dangerous, sometimes violent plans to insert himself into conflicts around the world, witnesses have told The Associated Press.

In the early days of Russia’s war in Ukraine, Routh tried to recruit soldiers from Afghanistan, Moldova and Taiwan to fight the Russians. In his native Greensboro, North Carolina, he was arrested in 2002 for eluding a traffic stop and barricading himself from officers with a fully automatic machine gun and a “weapon of mass destruction,” which turned out to be an explosive with a 10-inch fuse, police said.

In 2010, police searched a warehouse Routh owned and found more than 100 stolen items, from power tools and building supplies to kayaks and spa tubs. In both felony cases, judges gave Routh either probation or a suspended sentence.

Besides the federal charges, Routh also has pleaded not guilty to state charges of terrorism and attempted murder.

For the first time in 2025, the Fed has cut rates. That means two things for consumers: Borrowing will get cheaper, but savings returns won’t be as high. It will take time for either effect to take hold.

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On Wednesday, the Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) cut the federal funds rate by 25 basis points, as expected, bringing the federal funds rate range to 4.00%-4.25%. The Fed last cut rates at its December 2024 meeting, following cuts at its two previous meetings. Throughout 2025, the federal funds rate has stood at 4.25%-4.50%.

Why cut rates now?

Fed Chair Jerome Powell called the trim a “risk-management cut,” in a press conference following the decision. When asked if a cut should have come sooner, Powell said, “We have to live life looking through the windshield rather than the rear-view mirror.”

For months, President Donald Trump has been pressuring the central bank to slash rates, but the Fed has firmly stated it bases its decisions on data and the broader economy. There are a few crucial elements that led to the rate cut, namely a steadily weakening labor market.

The FOMC indicated that cutting rates to cushion the labor market is a higher priority than tamping down lingering inflation, even with additional inflationary pressures looming. NerdWallet’s Senior Economist Elizabeth Renter says, “Rates are typically cut when the labor market is slowing, so this isn’t a sign of a strong economy, rather an attempt to ensure labor market cooling doesn’t worsen.”

Powell noted that the recent rises in prices are starting to put pressure on inflation, but the effects are limited thus far. He expects inflation to continue building. He also said that the labor market dynamics are largely being shaped by a shrinking labor force, largely due to current immigration policies combined with a sharp drop in labor demand. Current conditions are what Powell calls a “curious balance.”

“Typically when we say things are in balance, that sounds good, but in this case, the balance is because both supply and demand have come down quite sharply,” said Powell. “Now, demand is coming down a little more sharply because we now see the unemployment rate edging up.”

New FOMC member breaks ranks

There was one dissenting member of the FOMC — its newest member, Stephen Miran, who favored a 50 basis point cut. Miran, who was appointed on Monday, is taking an unpaid leave of absence from his position as chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisors so that he can serve on the Fed.

Renter says, “Though dissent at the FOMC isn’t unheard of, it is unusual, especially in recent history. But current economic conditions — and thus the proper course of action — are difficult to interpret, even without added political pressure. In other words, this FOMC at this point in time is ripe for some disagreements.”

What happens when there’s a rate cut?

A federal rate cut doesn’t automatically or immediately mean lower interest rates on financial products. Here’s what you may expect to happen:

It’ll be cheaper to borrow. When the Fed lowers the federal funds rate, banks will pay less to borrow from each other. The banks respond by lowering interest rates on loans. That includes credit cards, auto loans, mortgages, personal loans and more.

It’ll be cheaper to refinance. Lenders may trim rates for those looking to refinance an existing mortgage or other loan.

Saving will be less rewarding. Annual percentage yields will fall on common savings products like high-yield savings accounts, CDs and interest-bearing checking accounts.

Markets could fluctuate. Typically, cheaper borrowing tends to boost investor confidence and encourages businesses to expand, which leads to higher corporate profits. But if the rate cuts are perceived as a response to economic decline, then the markets could be more volatile. Immediately following the rate announcement, the markets fell, although the Dow’s slide was brief.

When it comes to consumer finances, Powell said, “Lower rates should support economic activity. I don’t know that one rate cut will have a visible effect on that, but over time, a strong economy with a strong labor market is what we’re aiming for.”

Will the Fed cut rates again?

It’s likely, but nothing is certain. Yes, that’s a vague answer, but it’s true.

Powell called all future decisions a “meeting-by-meeting situation.” He later added that the current situation is unusual since the economy isn’t what he would consider bad. He said, “It’s not incredibly obvious what to do.”

The FOMC dot plot indicates that more cuts are likely at its remaining meetings this year: Oct. 28-29 and Dec. 9-10. The futures market’s CME Fedwatch tool places strong odds of a rate cut at both meetings.

Anna Helhoski writes for NerdWallet. Email: anna@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @AnnaHelhoski.

The article Fed Rate Trimmed: What Does It Mean For You? originally appeared on NerdWallet.

State law requires every school bus across New York to be powered by clean electric energy by 2035, and bans non-electric school bus purchases by 2027. Environmental advocates are pushing for a City Council hearing on the transition.

One of Consolidated Bus Transit’s many parking lots in East New York, Brooklyn.

Fall is officially here, and so are the yellow buses that take kids to and from school.

But these buses, which are mostly powered by fossil fuels, also emit the fumes that drive climate change and pollute the air. 

To change that, the state passed a law three years ago that requires every school bus across New York to be powered by clean electric energy by 2035. And starting in 2027, every new school bus purchased must be a zero-emission vehicle.

But only 68 school buses of the 10,500 in New York City’s fleet are currently electric, according to the city’s Department of Education.

Environmental groups fear that the city won’t meet the 2035 mandate as efforts to distribute funding have been slow. They say the public is being kept in the dark about the progress that has been made so far, and that more transparency is needed. 

“We have been consistently calling for an oversight hearing to take place at City Council this entire year, but it hasn’t happened yet,” said Lonnie Portis, director of policy and legislative affairs at WE ACT for Environmental Justice. 

“Oversight hearings are the best way to let the public and local stakeholders know what the current state of these electric school buses are,” Portis added. “Where are we in this process? How much money has been spent?” 

When it comes  to the money, New York City did secure a big chunk of funding from the federal government last March. At the time, Mayor Eric Adams announced that the $61.1 million grant from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) would put 180 new electric school buses into circulation. 

But the city’s Department of Education told City Limits that the funds are yet to be distributed, as it’s taken months for the Trump administration to release the funds. Only now is the money becoming available for school districts, the department noted. 

Bus production and infrastructure upgrades take time, but the department is hopeful that the full 180 electric buses will be added to the city’s fleet eventually.  

“We are always working with our vendors to ensure every student has access to reliable, high-quality transportation that keeps them healthy and supports our environmental future,” a spokesperson for the DOE  said in an email.

“Protecting our students’ health and well-being is our top priority, and electrifying our school bus fleet advances this commitment by eliminating harmful emissions and creating quieter, healthier rides that supports better learning environments.” 

Still, environmental advocates fear funds for electric school buses will dry up under Trump, as his administration has not had the best track record when it comes to electrification efforts.

Since starting his second term in office, Trump has shown disdain for cleaner ways to generate energy, like wind and solar power. This year, the president suspended new leasing and permitting for offshore wind projects and rescinded Biden-era tax credits that helped fund the clean energy transition.

Mayor Eric Adams at a press conference last year announcing funding for more electric school buses via the Biden administration. ( Ed Reed/Mayoral Photography Office)

“This new federal administration is rolling back environmental protections and regulations and it’s playing a dangerous game,” said Kevin Garcia, senior transportation planner at the non-profit New York City Environmental Justice Alliance.

“So we need the city and state to take real bold climate action in order to make sure that they’re still improving air quality and protecting communities across New York,” Garcia added. 

On the state level, New York has managed to secure $500 million for school bus electrification through the Environmental Bond Act, which New York voters approved in 2022. But accessing the money has proven difficult as not many school districts know how to apply for the funds. 

The money is distributed through a voucher-based initiative run by the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority (NYSERDA). New York K-12 public school districts and third-party bus operators that are under contract with them can apply for the incentive and receive discounts when they purchase zero-emission buses.

While NYSERDA has been providing informational webinars on everything there is to know about electric school buses and applying for these vouchers, environmental advocates say more outreach is needed.

When it comes to applying for the electric school bus incentives, most school districts “just don’t know where to start,” said Suhali Mendez, policy and legislative coordinator at New York Lawyers for the Public Interest (NYLPI).

“I think a lot of the reason that there aren’t enough out there has to do with lack of information,” Mendez added. “We definitely still have a long way to go before meeting our electric school bus goals.”

To reach the reporter behind this story, contact Mariana@citylimits.org. To reach the editor, contact Jeanmarie@citylimits.org

Want to republish this story? Find City Limits’ reprint policy here.

The post Tens of Thousands of School Buses Are Back On NYC Streets. Only 68 Are Electric. appeared first on City Limits.