Davis Mom Says Teen Son Got COVID Vaccine At CVS Without Her Consent

DAVIS (CBS13) — A Yolo County mom says her 16-year-old son was administered the COVID-19 shot without her consent.

This happened at a CVS in Davis back in July, and now with more kids allowed to get the shot, she worries this could happen to another parent.

"There is a law in place, there are procedures that are not being followed," said Amanda Arroyo, whose son was administered a vaccine without her consent. "Really concerned at the fact that I don't know what this is going to do to him."

Over the phone, Arroyo explained her son showed up at a CVS Pharmacy on West Covell Boulevard in Davis after he made an appointment online.

"He was like, 'My arm hurts,' and I said, 'What happened?' " Arroyo said. "And he was like, 'I had my COVID shot,' and I was like 'Wait, what?' "

Amy Thibault, the senior manager for corporate communications with CVS Health sent the following statement: "We're aware of Ms. Arroyo's concerns and apologized to her when she contacted us initially. We're committed to complying with all vaccination regulations and are in the process of looking into this matter further."

Arroyo claims the pharmacist told her she was just trying to vaccinate as many people as possible in the community to keep people safe.

So what are the rules when it comes to getting minors vaccinated?

In California, there must be parental consent which can be given in three ways. The first is by a parent or guardian taking their kids 12 and up to get the shot. The second is a minor consent form filled out by a parent or guardian with their signature. And the third is verbal consent where a staff member speaks to a child's parent or guardian over the phone or through video.

Arroyo says none of that was done and has requested the forms that her son filled out through the pharmacy's website.

With more kids becoming eligible to get the vaccine, she worries this can happen again. While it's not known at this time if the pharmacist could face consequences, Arroyo just wants to make parents aware of what happened to her son.

"He's 16 years old. I completely understand that, but I, in no way, shape or form gave consent for him to get the vaccine and I was not present when it happened," Arroyo said. "I want the pharmacist to be held responsible for her actions and her negligence."

According to the California Department of Consumer Affairs, the board of pharmacy does not have definitive authority for administering vaccinations as these rules are not under pharmacy law.

The board does not discuss complaints or investigations as they are treated as confidential. Disciplinary or administrative actions taken by the board are always dependent on the facts and circumstances of each particular case. Anyone with a concern about a licensee is encouraged to file a complaint with the board.