With COVID-19 activity levels very high across much of the U.S., government officials on Friday announced the return of a program to provide free testing, vaccines and treatments to help the country weather the winter respiratory illness season.
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“The best plan for this winter is for everyone to stay vigilant, using the tools we have: vaccines, testing and treatments for the diseases that are responsible for the vast majority of deaths and hospitalizations during the fall and winter,” said Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Free COVID-19 testing will not be available immediately, but it will return in time for fall and winter meetings. A government-purchased supply of the antiviral drug Paxlovid will also be available at no cost to those who are uninsured or enrolled in Medicare or Medicaid.
The CDC is also providing additional funding to state and local health departments to provide free COVID-19 vaccines to uninsured and underinsured adults, as well as free vaccines to children from low-income families through the Vaccines for Children program.
Looking ahead to the winter, CDC forecasters expect the U.S. to see as many or fewer hospitalizations for respiratory illnesses compared to the same time last year, but Cohen said that could change if vaccinations are lower than expected or if variants of COVID-19 or the flu cause more severe illness than expected.
Updated vaccines for COVID-19, the flu and RSV will also soon be available at pharmacies. For those who are uninsured or underinsured, the CDC will continue to provide free COVID-19 vaccines through state and local assistance programs.
Additionally, the free Paxlovid distribution program will continue through the end of the year for people who test positive for COVID-19 and are uninsured or enrolled in Medicare or Medicaid.
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