Millions of Americans without health insurance will have to pay $200 for COVID-19 vaccines after the recent elimination of the federal Bridge Access program.
Until recently, the program provided free COVID-19 vaccines to all adults without health care and those whose health care did not fully cover COVID-19 vaccines. However, the Bridge Access program recently ran out of funding and was eliminated by Congress.
As part of a deal made to avoid a government shutdown, Congress rescinded $6.1 million in COVID emergency spending. It also blocked a Biden administration proposal for free immunizations.
Stock image of Pfizer BioNTech and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines. Because of the closure of the federal Bridge Access program, millions of Americans will now have to pay $200 for COVID-19 vaccines.
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Those wanting the latest COVID vaccine to protect against the Omicron variant will now have to pay up to $200. It is estimated that about 25 million Americans will be affected.
The federal Vaccines for Children program will continue to cover free shots for eligible kids.
The Bridge Access Program was launched in September 2023 and administered through the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
How prominent is COVID-19 in U.S. right now?
COVID-19 infections have surged this summer and are likely to increase as the U.S. enters flu season. Latest data from the CDC reported a test positivity rate of 17 percent across the U.S.
In New Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Kansas, Iowa and Nebraska, the positivity rate was the highest at 19.1 percent.
Additionally, the CDC reported that the national wastewater level for COVID-19 is currently “very high.” Wastewater surveillance is an emerging field that allows for tracking of SARS-CoV-2—the virus that causes COVID-19—in samples of wastewater. This can help to give early warning of the spread of COVID-19 in communities.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently approved updated Moderna and Pfizer vaccines amid the surge.
What is the current COVID-19 guidance?
The CDC recommends that everyone age 6 months and older get an updated 2024-2025 vaccine. The advice also applies regardless of whether you have had COVID-19 or a COVID-19 vaccine before. The vaccines have been proven to reduce the risk of COVID-19 related hospitalization by about one-third.
The Department Health and Human Services recently launched its Risk Less. Do More. Campaign to increase awareness around COVID vaccinations in high-risk areas.
The CDC recommends that those with a positive COVID-19 infection stay away from others until at least 24 hours after their last symptoms and fever disappear.
Beyond the “stay at home” period, people can still be contagious, so the CDC recommends a period of added precaution when those affected wear a mask, keep at a distance from others, enhance their hygiene practices and get tested for respiratory viruses.
