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Last Updated:
October 09, 2023
Do I have to pay for the updated COVID-19 vaccine?
The updated COVID-19 vaccine is available now for free at pharmacies, but the current supply is limited.
- Visit Vaccines.gov to find pharmacies near you offering the updated vaccine. You may have to check the website frequently to find an available appointment.
- Supply chain issues have made the updated vaccine difficult to access, but CVS and Walgreens have resolved their shipping delays.
- If you’re one of the many parents struggling to find available vaccines for your children, schedule your own appointment now and continue checking Vaccines.gov in the coming weeks.
If you have private insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid, your updated COVID-19 vaccine is free.
- Contact your insurance company to find an in-network pharmacy offering the updated vaccine.
- If no pharmacy in your plan’s network has the vaccine, your insurance company should still cover the cost, even if you get it at a pharmacy that’s out of network.
- If you are getting the updated vaccine from an out-of-network provider, you may have to pay for the vaccine (up to $200) upfront and get reimbursed by your insurance later. You may be able to file a reimbursement claim on your insurer’s website or print and mail your insurance company a physical copy of your claim.
- Some people have been asked to pay for their vaccines upfront at in-network pharmacies. This was a result of billing code issues, and insurers say those issues have been resolved.
Under- and uninsured adults can get the updated COVID-19 vaccine for free through the CDC’s Bridge Access Program.
- To find pharmacies and health centers partnering with the Bridge Access Program, visit Vaccines.gov, click on “Find COVID-19 Vaccines,” enter your zip code and select the vaccine option you want, click on “Search for COVID-19 Vaccines,” and check “Bridge Access Program Participant.” You can also call 1-800-232-0233. Anyone who needs a single dose of the updated vaccine can receive Pfizer’s or Moderna’s vaccine, regardless of your previous vaccines’ manufacturer.
- Children can get the vaccine for free through the Vaccines for Children program, but appointments are currently hard to find.
- If you’re over 60 and unable to leave your home, call the Aging Network at 1-800-677-1116 to learn about free, at-home vaccination options. If you’re disabled and unable to leave your home, call the Disability Information and Access Line at 1-888-677-1199.
Last Updated:
September 27, 2023
Should I get an updated COVID-19 vaccine?
The updated COVID-19 vaccine is now available and recommended for everyone 6 months and older.
- Anyone 5 years or older is eligible to receive one dose of Pfizer’s or Moderna’s updated vaccine, regardless of previous COVID-19 vaccination status.
- People who are immunocompromised and children 6 months to 4 years may need additional doses.
- If you’ve had a recent COVID-19 infection, the CDC suggests delaying vaccination for three months from when your symptoms started or from when you received a positive test result.
Getting your updated COVID-19 vaccine is the best way to remain protected against the virus.
- Adults who are 75 and older have the highest rate of COVID-19 hospitalization.
- Infants 6 months and younger have the second-highest rate of COVID-19 hospitalization.
- The CDC says getting an updated COVID-19 vaccine provides a safer and more reliable way to build protection against COVID-19 than getting sick from COVID-19.
The benefits of getting the updated shot outweigh the risks across age groups.
- COVID-19 hospitalization rates are higher than those for other vaccine-preventable diseases, like chickenpox, hepatitis A, and pneumococcal disease.
- Potential cases of post-vaccine myocarditis are extremely rare and usually mild. A COVID-19 infection is more likely to cause myocarditis, and those cases are typically more severe. This is even true among young men, who are most likely to experience myocarditis from vaccines. The CDC continues to recommend the COVID-19 vaccine for everyone 6 months and older.
- Vaccination can reduce the risk of developing long COVID.
Last Updated:
September 12, 2023
What is the latest on BA.2.86?
BA.2.86, now dubbed Pirola, may be less contagious than experts first thought.
- Several lab results have shown that our bodies can fight off BA.2.86 as well as or even more effectively than other currently circulating variants.
- This means that “we can expect BA.2.86 to cause infections, but not as much as anticipated,” according to Your Local Epidemiologist.
- Lab results also showed that people who had a recent XBB infection had the highest level of protection against BA.2.86.
BA.2.86 continues to spread but not as fast as the first Omicron variant.
- BA.2.86 has now been detected in more than a dozen countries, including the U.S., Portugal, South Africa, and the U.K.
- Some data suggests that the variant is not spreading as fast as the first Omicron variant but faster than XBB.
- Scientists initially thought that BA.2.86 would cause a wave similar to that of Omicron’s first variant, BA.1, but that doesn’t seem to be the case. Bill Hanage, a Harvard University epidemiologist, wrote in a post on X (formerly known as Twitter), “This is not the second coming of Omicron. If it were, it is safe to say we would know by now.”
The upcoming fall vaccines are expected to help protect us against BA.2.86, and so are some existing treatments.
- Because lab results showed that people with the strongest response to BA.2.86 were those with a previous XBB infection, this fall’s updated vaccines—which are designed to fight off XBB.1.5—are expected to provide protection against the new variant.
- Antiviral treatments like Paxlovid have been proven to be effective at protecting us against BA.2.86.
Last Updated:
August 14, 2023
Do you need a booster?
COVID-19 metrics are up across the country.
- Most COVID-19 indicators are increasing nationally: Hospital admissions, emergency department visits, test positivity, and wastewater levels are all on the rise.
- Hospital admissions increased 12.5 percent between July 23 and July 29, considered the most alarming increase.
- However, experts agree that the numbers are still very low compared to past years. And the CDC says the current number of deaths is the lowest since the agency started tracking them at the beginning of the pandemic.
Experts think the wave could be due to waning immunity and indoor activities because of the heat.
- Some experts believe this wave wasn’t caused by a new variant because all the current variants are Omicron descendants.
- Others point to how fast the COVID-19 virus continues to mutate, compared to, for instance, the flu.
- The wave could be due to our waning immunity and, most importantly, people moving back indoors for activities because of the heat.
- The bivalent booster from last fall is not as effective against the new XBB Omicron subvariants, which are the current dominant strains.
Immunocompromised people and older adults should talk to their health care provider about possibly getting a booster.
- Should you get boosted now? Some experts suggest that those who are not at high risk should probably wait until new fall boosters are available, between late September and early October.
- But older adults and immunocompromised people (especially those who have not yet gotten their bivalent booster) should talk to their health care provider about the possibility of getting boosted now.
- The CDC says that people who are up to date with their COVID-19 vaccines and are not high risk should make their own decisions about masking and visiting crowded places.
- It may also be a good idea for everyone to stock up on rapid tests and high-quality masks.
Last Updated:
July 28, 2023
Are COVID-19 cases increasing?
Several COVID-19 indicators showed small increases.
- The CDC reported that the U.S. is seeing increases in most COVID-19 indicators: hospital admissions, emergency department visits, test positivity, and wastewater levels.
- The increase in hospital admissions comes after early indicators showed an increase for two weeks in a row, reported the University of Minnesota’s Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.
The World Health Organization is monitoring a new COVID-19 subvariant.
- On July 19, WHO added EG.5 to the list of variants the agency is monitoring.
- EG.5 is an Omicron subvariant and a descendant of XBB.1.9.2.
- The proportion of EG.5 has been increasing in the U.S. over the last few weeks.
- However, it’s important to note that WHO says there’s no evidence so far that EG.5 is contributing to an increase in cases or deaths.
Deaths are not increasing, which is good news.
- While there are some indicators on the rise, others are not, which is a good sign.
- Deaths (considered one of the more accurate indicators) have not increased in the U.S.
- It’s a good idea to remain cautious, especially for older adults and people who are immunocompromised.