by Rev. Dr. Amy Christine Hodge
The Biden Administration announced that the COVID-19 national and public health emergencies will end on May 11, 2023. As these two emergency declarations expire, the availability of some COVID-19 Resources will become more limited.
Ten things you need to know:
We are in a better place with the COVID-19 Pandemic, but the virus is still around. Covid-19 cases are down 92%, Covid deaths have declined by over 80% and new Covid hospitalizations are down nearly 80%.
Covid-19 vaccines will continue to be free for most Americans, but tests and treatments will be harder to access, especially for persons without health insurance.
Major Medicare telehealth flexibilities and Medicaid telehealth flexibilities will not be affected. They will remain in place through December 2024. These flexibilities are most helpful in rural areas and to others who struggle to find access to care.
Most Americans will still be able to get vaccinated and boosted against COVID-19 for free after May. The two ending emergency declarations will not affect the FDA’s (Food and Drug Administration) emergency use authorizations of the COVID-19 vaccines. However, once the stockpiles run out, the vaccines will start to be covered by health insurance rather than the government. This means that people with private insurance, Medicare, or Medicaid will continue to be vaccinated and boosted at no cost. But there is no plan for people without insurance to access future COVID-19 shots for free. If you want to continue to be protected, get your booster ASAP! The Bi-valent Booster is available at the Health Department and local pharmacies.
Free at-home tests will not be widely available after the emergency declarations end. The government will end its at-home test delivery program through USPS. Health insurers will no longer be required to reimburse up to 8 at-home tests per month. Stock up on your allotment of free COVID-19 tests. Many test kits have had their expiration dates extended. You can find out which ones by going to the CDC website.
After May, the government will no longer cover COVID-19 treatments so the cost will fall on the health insurers and individuals. Since the Paxlovid stockpile is so large, the antiviral will likely continue to be free until 2024. After that people with insurance will continue to have to pay out of pocket.
Before the Pandemic, states regularly checked to make sure people enrolled in Medicaid were still eligible. These verification checks were paused during the pandemic to provide people with continuous coverage, but these verification eligibility checks will continue on April 1, 2023. If you are on Medicaid, make sure your mailing address and contact information are up to date!
Omicron subvariant XBB.1.5 is currently the dominant strain in the United States, is the most transmissible stain yet, can evade previous immunity, and is resistant to many of our existing drugs and treatments. Even though the COVID-19 metrics are trending downward, older adults, immunocompromised individuals, and people with underlying medical conditions remain venerable. There is no guarantee that the virus won’t continue to evolve in unpredictable ways.
The Bi-valent booster is available now at the health department and at drug stores. A Bi-valent Community Clinic will be held at Mount Zion A.M.E Church, 2128 Melrose Ave. in NW Roanoke. The clinic is a partnership between Roanoke/Alleghany Health Department, Kingdom Community Health Services, and the Mount Zion AME Church. The Community Clinic will be Thursday, June 1 from 11 am to 1 pm at the church with appointments preferred! To make an appointment go to Vaccine.gov or 540-283-5050. For more information, please call 267-807-9605.
Please continue to wash your hands and use hand sanitizer! This writer’s recommendation is to wear a mask in areas with poor ventilation or in large inside crowds, especially if you have a pre-existing health condition. We further recommend wearing a mask when using public transportation, buses, airplanes, and trains and when visiting other states and outside of the United States. Frequent washing of hands is recommended.
