The approval is expected to go to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's vaccine advisory committee, which will make a recommendation on who should be able to get the shots. In June, Kennedy fired all 17 members of the panel and replaced them with his own picks, including several Covid vaccine skeptics.

At the same time, the Food and Drug Administration has signaled that it will only approve updated Covid vaccines for individuals 65 and older and for younger people considered to be at high risk for severe disease. People, regardless of where they live, may need to prove that they need the shot.

The FDA's new COVID vaccine restrictions limit COVID vaccine access to those over 65 and younger people with existing health problems.