Vulnerable Americans are struggling to get access to the new Covid booster vaccine due to a chaotic fall rollout.
Weeks after new shots were approved and the vaccine rollout was handed over to private companies, just four million Americans, or one percent, have been vaccinated with the latest version.
Even though Pfizer has shipped more than 10 million vaccine doses and Moderna has shipped 1 million to sites across the country, Americans are still facing obstacles in showing up to be vaccinated.
Vaccinations in nursing homes won’t begin until this month and some facilities won’t begin vaccinating vulnerable residents until November – despite rising infections among the elderly.
Young children are among those most at risk. Danielle Campoamor’s son was admitted to intensive care twice with a respiratory infection. After the traumatic experience, Ms Campoamor said she was making appointments for her children to receive any updated vaccine: “As soon as there is a new (Covid vaccine), we will sign up.”
Many Americans are told at clinics or pharmacies that their insurance will cover the vaccination for them for free, but others are asked to pay more than $100 before they roll up their sleeves.
This year’s patchy implementation is attributed to the fact that it is being left to private companies rather than a U.S. government-sponsored campaign, as was the case during the pandemic.
A survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that the majority of Americans do not plan to get the updated Covid booster shot this year. The red dotted line above shows the 50 percent margin
The map above shows the proportion of people by state who have received the previous updated booster shot. No state achieved more than 25 percent coverage
Some at-risk families have taken matters into their own hands and started testing and masking up to protect themselves while they wait for a vaccine.
This came as Novavax announced that it had received approval from the Food and Drug Administration to begin shipping doses of its vaccine, which will be available in pharmacies next week.
The U.S. government has recommended the new vaccine, updated to protect against the Omicron subvariants that have led to a surge in cases, to all Americans ages six and older.
When the White House ended the Covid-19 public health emergency in May, it handed responsibility for distribution, administration and payment to private companies, including vaccine manufacturers, pharmacies and insurance plans.
However, the decentralization of the vaccine rollout, which has been free for all, has made it difficult and confusing for Americans.
Some Americans show up for vaccinations and have to wait an hour, while others receive a notification the day before their appointment that it has been canceled.
Chad Worz, CEO of the American Society of Consultant Pharmacists, told KFF: “The distribution of the new Covid-19 vaccine is not going well.” “Older adults in (nursing homes) are certainly the most at risk and should have been prioritized.”
However, the chaotic rollout could leave older people in care homes waiting until November for their new vaccine – and that wait could prove dangerous for many.
The number of infections in this population has increased and is now at 9.7 per 1,000 residents, a steep increase from a low of 2.2 per 1,000 residents in June.
While Covid may be just a cold for some, for this high-risk group it could be fatal.
More than 200,000 residents and staff died from Covid in the first two years of the pandemic, and facilities faced and continue to face resistance to vaccines from both groups.
While 62 percent of nursing home residents were aware of their vaccinations before the last one was approved, only a quarter of nursing home staff can say the same – putting residents at risk.
And while Medicare will cover vaccinations for residents, employees may incur insurance costs.
On Sept. 13, CVS said it would begin delivering doses of the new vaccine that day and would continue to receive ongoing supplies.
All CVS Pharmacy locations were expected to have the vaccine and give people the option to go to a clinic or schedule an appointment online.
However, the company, the largest pharmacy chain in the United States, said Reuters There were still delivery delays from its wholesalers.
A spokesman for McKesson, one of America’s largest wholesalers, said the company had shipped 3.8 million Covid vaccines so far but acknowledged it needed to expand its supply chain.
A spokesperson for CVS and Walgreens each blamed supply chain issues and shipping delays for canceled or rescheduled appointments.
In a statement to DailyMail.com, a Walgreens spokeswoman said: “For the best experience, patients are encouraged to make an appointment in advance.” “Walgreens.com and the Walgreens app will continue to update to reflect availability to reflect.”
As Americans grow increasingly frustrated with the hurdles they face, if last year’s vaccination rate is any indicator of this year’s, many Americans may not even want to get a vaccine shot.
Last year, only 17 million Americans received the updated bivalent booster shot, and a recent survey found that 52 percent of U.S. adults said they “definitely” or “probably” would not get the latest vaccine.
However, those most at risk, such as the elderly or immunocompromised, continue to rely on the protection of an updated vaccine.
Jennifer Kates, senior vice president at KFF, was informed the day before her Covid vaccination appointment at CVS was canceled. However, Ms. Kates was supposed to attend a conference and then see her elderly parents.
Ms. Kates said she hoped the vaccine would provide protection for her and her parents The guard They will now resort to testing and wearing masks.
She said: “It was a shame the timing wasn’t right; it was disappointing.’
For a New Jersey father who was lucky enough to get vaccination appointments for himself, his wife and one of their daughters, it cost him nearly $600 in September and he’s hoping his insurance will reimburse him for the cost.
Xavier Becerra, the U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary, said at a news conference last week that the government was aware of the problems and was working with insurers to resolve the problems.
He confirmed that anyone with Medicaid, Medicare or private health insurance should receive the vaccination for free. For people without insurance, Mr. Becerra said they could apply for a free vaccination through the government’s Bridge Access Program.