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.
I am severely allergic to eggs so no annual flu shot for me but I have gotten multiple COVID shots without issue. I am a bit worried about a combo flu-covid shit in the future and will talk with my doctor about my options. I will say that it is possible to work with a physician or allergist and take half-shots of some vaccines. This is where you take half the shot in two spaced out doses to eventually get full coverage. I will admit that it didn’t work for me with the flu vaccine but it was definitely worth a try and the reaction I had wasn’t as bad as a full dose.
Thank you … I’ve been meaning to get a regular Dr anyway… seems like a good two for one solution.