NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — More than three years after the start of the pandemic, the Biden administration plans to end the COVID-19 national and public health emergencies on May 11.
This will impact how people will get vaccines and treatments for the virus moving forward. It's going to depend on insurance what that cost will look like. Most will continue not to pay anything if they get the shot, but treatment costs could rise.
Similar to the annual flu shot, free options will start to shrink. To avoid a bill, most will need to check with insurance.
For those who are uninsured, the Biden administration has pledged to find a way to make COVID-19 vaccines and treatments accessible but those details haven't been announced. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has already paved the way for covering shots for uninsured children.
When it comes to COVID treatments, experts expect them to cost several hundred dollars.
Ending the emergency will also impact state and national data collection. The end of the emergency declaration means a lot of that collection will slow down and eventually stop. Researchers will continue to monitor nationwide hospitalizations and death forecasts for at least another year.
More details are expected to be announced later this week.
