The CDC's Bridge Access Program is ending amid a Covid surge.

All but three US states have very high or high levels of Covid-19 in their sewage right now, according to the CDC. Due to a drop in efforts to count individual cases, that data is the most accurate way to paint a picture of the current extent of Covid cases—and it’s bad.

In addition to wearing respirators, getting the updated Covid vaccine (mRNA shots were approved last week, and the Novavax vaccine this week) is an important way to reduce one’s chance of getting the infectious disease. Even if a person contracts it, the shot will reduce their risk of death and developing Long Covid.

But for uninsured and underinsured Americans, the vaccine has just gotten significantly more costly. On August 22, the CDC sunsetted its Bridge Access Program, which provided free Covid vaccines to 1.5 million Americans over the past year. A CDC spokesperson told Mother Jones that the sunsetting was a consequence of the new 2024-2025 vaccines being approved—which meant the 2023-2024 vaccines could no longer be administered. But many people did not know that the program would only cover the vaccine approved last year—just that it would end in August, potentially after the new shots became available. The CDC’s page on the program, which was live until some point Friday, did not clarify any of this information.

  • @[email protected]English
    21•3 months ago

    I just got both COVID and flu shots at CVS on Friday. Walked in, got two little jabs, and was out in less than five minutes. Didn’t even ask for insurance or any sort of payment whatsoever. I left thinking “well goddamn, this is how it should go for everything.”

    • GhostalmediaEnglish
      10•3 months ago

      My CVS also didn’t ask, but seeing how others in line were talking about insurance coverage for shots, I think they didn’t ask me because my insurance info was already on file.

    • edricEnglish
      4•3 months ago

      I also got mine on Friday. Entering insurance info on the appointment site wasn’t required but I put it in anyway. My insurance covers it but I was thinking if I took it for free without insurance, I might be taking away a dose that can otherwise be used by someone without insurance. Not sure if that logic is correct.

    • @Ejh3kEnglish
      3•3 months ago

      I got both of mine yesterday. And as I drove away, I was thinking about how much the government will make this free and accessible as long as they know it will save them immensely on the back end.

    • Flying Squid
      3•3 months ago

      My wife’s work is having a free clinic next week, so I’m getting one or the other. I am staggering them by two weeks now though because I got them both at the same time a couple of years ago and felt worse than I did than when I actually got COVID (I’m still getting regularly vaccinated though). Last year when I staggered them, I felt fine both times.

      I kind of feel like I should get the flu shot first just so that elderly people can get theirs when they need it, but maybe that’s not necessary.