Last week, the Food and Drug Administration approved two COVID-19 vaccines earlier than expected due to record-breaking surges of the virus. Instead of releasing them in the fall, following the pattern of previous coronavirus vaccine roll outs, they are available as early as this week. However, for some people, time is already running out to get the updated shots.

For the nearly 27 million adults who do not have health insurance, the new coronavirus vaccines will only be available for free until August 31. That’s because the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Bridge Access Program, which provided free coronavirus vaccines to uninsured adults, will end. Over the last year, the program provided free vaccines for nearly 1.5 million people since it launched in September 2023. Without insurance, the vaccine can cost at least $115.

Related

“Uninsured adults are going to have more difficulty accessing the vaccines this fall,” Dr. Kelly Moore, president and CEO of Immunize.org, a nonprofit organization that works to increase vaccination rates and is funded by the CDC, told Salon. “Budget cuts on the federal government side have eliminated that program, and the amount of money available to purchase the COVID vaccine and offer it to people who are uninsured is quite limited.”

While the program was meant to be temporary, the original termination date for the program was slotted for December 2024. However, the fiscal 2024 government funding bill rescinded $4.3 billion in COVID-19 funding, some of which was being used for the program, as reported by The Hill in May. After August 31 of this year, local health departments might have a small amount of free vaccine available, but supply is expected to be limited for those without health insurance. While the Biden administration advocated for a more permanent solution in 2025,........

© Salon