The Food and Drug Administration is about to limit access to COVID-19 vaccines this fall, only allowing them for people over 65 or those with certain medical conditions. That means millions of Americans could be blocked from getting a vaccine, even if they want one.

This is not just wrong. It is dangerous.

Vaccines are still one of our best tools to prevent severe illness, long COVID, and unnecessary deaths. Every person should have the right to protect themselves and their loved ones. Taking away that choice is reckless.

There is no public health without public trust. Restricting access without clear evidence and ignoring the real risks people face in everyday life sends a message that their safety doesn’t matter.

People working in crowded places, caring for others, or simply trying to stay healthy deserve the same protection as anyone else. We are not statistics. We are human beings with lives, families, and futures.

If the FDA moves forward with this, what comes next? What other protections will quietly be taken away?

We call on the FDA to reverse this course immediately and ensure that COVID-19 vaccines remain fully available to anyone who wants them.

Let the people decide. Let us stay safe.

Everyone deserves the option. Everyone deserves the choice.

Photo: Mike Kai Chen for The New York Times