The Board of Pharmacy has published final emergency regulations authorizing pharmacists to initiate treatment with certain drugs, devices, controlled paraphernalia, and other OTC supplies and equipment for adult patients became effective December 22, 2021. Pharmacists may now utilize the new statewide protocols to initiate treatment for vaccines, TB, HIV PeP and PrEP, and over-the counter medications when they decrease a patient’s out-of-pocket expenses. The regulations are a result of legislation that members, allies and NACDS worked on in the 2021 legislative session. 

Also in Virginia: The Department of Health has published a Revised COVID-19 Vaccine Standing Order has been updated and posted here. Also refer to the revised Summary of Legal Authorities for Pharmacists to Administer COVID-19 Vaccine. The updates to the Standing Order include: 

Allowing any COVID-19 vaccine booster to be administered at an interval of 5 months, rather than 6 months, after completion of the Pfizer-BioNTech primary series (any COVID-19 vaccine booster remains recommended 6 months after a Moderna vaccine primary series and 2 months after Johnson & Johnson vaccine) 

  1. Children 12-17 years old are recommended to receive a Pfizer booster vaccine 5 months following their primary series
  2. Children 5-11 years old who are immunocompromised are recommended to receive a 3rd Pfizer dose as part of their primary series 28 days after 2nd dose

For more information, contact NACDS’ Jill McCormack at 717-592-8977.