Health

State hopes federal funds will cover COVID-19 vaccines for the uninsured • West Virginia Watch

The state Department of Health says it expects to get federal funding this fall to buy an improved COVID-19 vaccine for the uninsured and underinsured. The program that offered these ended late last month.

Federal Bridge Allocation ProgramLast year, the state 13,766 free doses of COVID-19 vaccine provided to uninsured peopleended in August.

State epidemiologist Shannon McVeigh said this week that the state Department of Public Health expects to receive an increase in federal vaccine funding in late September or early October to purchase vaccines for the uninsured. Vaccines will be available through local health departments as needed, McVeigh said. More details about the vaccines will be available in the coming weeks, she said.

The Centers for Disease Control previously said that after the Bridge Program ended, [“enhance] “Through support to state and local health departments to implement vaccination programs, we will improve access to COVID-19 vaccines for the uninsured and underinsured and help protect them from the worst effects of the virus.”

Representatives from local health departments in West Virginia said they are waiting to hear from the state about support for providing free vaccines to uninsured people.

of The CDC recommends Everyone aged 6 months and older will receive the COVID-19 vaccine in 2024-2025. The vaccine helps prevent severe illness, complications and death from the virus.

“West Virginia continues to experience moderate COVID-19 activity, with COVID-19 test positivity rates and emergency department visits remaining at elevated levels,” McVeigh said in an email sent through a health department spokesperson. “Such surges in cases are known to occur throughout the year, including during the summer months.”

She noted that the severity of the disease has decreased since the pandemic began and increases have not resulted in as many hospitalizations and deaths as before.

The U.S. Census Bureau estimates that 5.9% of West Virginia residents, or about 106,000 people, will lack health insurance in 2022.

About 17% of West Virginia adults and 29.5% of residents age 65 and older have received a COVID-19 vaccination shot for 2023-24, according to the Department of Public Health.

The vaccine is now available at select pharmacies, including CVS and Walgreens. Most health insurance plans cover it at no extra cost, but those without health insurance may have to pay out of pocket. The vaccine costs $141.80 for an adult dose, but fees may apply. At CVS, for example, the vaccine costs $202, the spokesperson said.

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State hopes federal funds will cover COVID-19 vaccines for the uninsured • West Virginia Watch

Health

State hopes federal funds will cover COVID-19 vaccines for the uninsured • West Virginia Watch

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