find my vaccine :: Article CreatorCovid Vaccine 2024: How To Get It And Where To Find Your Local Walk-in Centre
Brits have been urged to check if they're eligible for flu shots, Covid boosters or the respiratory syncytial virus shot, with vaccination appointments ready to book now
Many people may be eligible for flu shots, Covid boosters or the RSV jab (
Image: PA)
Health officials have shared concerns of a potential "tripledemic" approaching in the colder months, with people urged to get their Covid and flu jabs.
NHS England say there may be a rise in cases of flu, Covid-19 and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), and urged people to take action now. Millions of people may be eligible for Covid and flu jabs, and can from this morning call to book an appointment.
Below we take a look at everything you need to know to check if you are eligible, and what you need to do if you are.
Who is eligible for the vaccine?
Those who can get flu jabs include those who are 65 and over, as well as people aged 18 to 65 in clinical risk groups and patients in long-stay residential homes. Frontline social care workers will also be eligible, as well as people who provide care for elderly or disabled people.
People who may get Covid boosters include those over the age of 65, care home residents, staff, frontline health and social care workers, and people in clinical risk groups, including pregnant women.
The NHS is also offering an RSV vaccine this autumn for the first time. It is available to women from the 28th week of pregnancy to protect their newborns, as well as older people aged 75 to 79.
Where to find walk-in centres
To find your local walk in centre, visit here
How to get it/book it
Appointments are available through the NHS website, app, or by calling 119.
Do I need to get the vaccine?
Dr Julie Yates, deputy director for immunisation programmes at the UK Health Security Agency, explained many people may not be aware they should get vaccinated.
She added: "Many people who are more vulnerable to getting a severe illness from respiratory viruses like flu and Covid-19 are not aware they are at greater risk and eligible for these vaccines. If you are pregnant or have a certain long-term condition you should be offered the vaccines – if unsure, please speak with a trusted nurse or doctor."
Michelle Kane, director for vaccinations at NHS England, said: "The flu and Covid-19 vaccines can be life-saving and are our best defences against these viruses – and it takes just a few minutes to book online or via the NHS App or 119, so I would urge everyone eligible to do so, to protect themselves and people around them.
"We know that these vaccinations help more people keep well and stay out of hospital during the winter months, which is especially important at a time when the NHS is expected to be under a lot of pressure. It is therefore vital that everyone eligible comes forward when invited."
You Need An Updated COVID-19 Vaccine: Get One For Free In NYC
With the recent wave of COVID-19 cases this summer, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that everyone 6 months and older receive the updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine. This is to help protect against potentially serious outcomes this fall and winter, regardless of whether you've been vaccinated before.
This guide will walk you through how to get the updated COVID-19 vaccine for free in NYC, even if you are undocumented or uninsured.
Why should I get the updated COVID-19 shot?
COVID-19 is constantly evolving, and the protection from older vaccines fades over time. The updated 2024-2025 vaccine is designed to protect against the newest variants that are causing infections and hospitalizations in the U.S. By getting the updated shot, you reduce your chances of getting seriously ill or hospitalized due to COVID-19. It also helps lower the risk of developing Long COVID, a condition where symptoms can last for months after the initial infection.
Immigration News, Curated
Sign up to get our curation of news, insights on big stories, job announcements, and events happening in immigration.
You're Subscribed!
Please check your email for further instructions.
Last year, those who received the 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccine had better protection from serious illness than those who did not.
Am I eligible to get the updated COVID-19 vaccine?
Yes! Everyone aged 6 months and older is eligible to get the updated COVID-19 vaccine, no matter your residency, immigration status, or insurance coverage. You do not need U.S. Citizenship or health insurance to receive the vaccine.
Where can I get an updated COVID-19 shot in NYC?
If you are uninsured or undocumented, here are some places in NYC where you can get the vaccine for free:
NYC Health + Hospitals FacilitiesNYC's public hospitals and clinics offer free COVID-19 vaccines to everyone, including those who are undocumented or uninsured. These locations are safe and welcoming to all. Visit the NYC Health + Hospitals website to find a location near you: NYC Health + Hospitals
HRSA-Funded Community Health CentersThese centers provide medical care on a sliding scale based on your income and family size. If you can't afford to pay, they will still give you the vaccine for free. Undocumented individuals are welcome, and no one will be turned away. Find a health center near you through the following link: Find a Health Center
NYC Vaccine FinderUse the NYC Vaccine Finder website to locate a nearby vaccination site. You can filter the search to find locations offering free or low-cost vaccines, specifically for uninsured individuals. Many of these sites do not require any form of insurance. Visit NYC Vaccine Finder.
Please note that COVID-19 vaccines are no longer available for free to uninsured individuals at major pharmacies such as CVS, following the end of the federally funded program.
"As you know, the CDC's Bridge Access Program, which provided no-cost COVID-19 vaccines to uninsured and underinsured adults, has ended. While CVS is not offering free COVID-19 vaccines, patients could check with their local health department to see if any free or low-cost clinics are being offered," said Amy Thibault, Lead Director of External Communications at CVS Pharmacy.
When will the updated COVID-19 shot be available at these locations?
The 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccines are now available following the FDA's recent approval of Pfizer, Moderna, and Novavax vaccines. Vaccines are being shipped directly from manufacturers to healthcare providers and pharmacies, with many sites expected to begin vaccinations by early to mid-September.
The NYC Vaccine Finder will be updated with locations where you can get the new vaccine when it is available. You can also contact your healthcare provider to check when they will have the vaccine ready.
Is there language support available for non-English speakers at these vaccination sites?
City-managed sites, such as NYC Health + Hospitals clinics and the Health Department's Fort Greene Health Center immunization clinic, offer language line translation services.
For additional resources on the updated COVID-19 vaccines, you can visit the NYC Health Department's COVID-19 Vaccine page, which provides multilingual information.
What documents do I need to get a COVID-19 vaccine?
An ID is not required for a vaccination.
Everyone who lives in the United States is eligible to receive free COVID-19 services, including vaccines, testing, and treatment, even if you do not have insurance, and no matter your immigration status. You do not need a Social Security Number or government ID to receive free COVID-19 services.
Additional information for undocumented and uninsured people
You do not need to share your immigration status when getting the COVID-19 vaccine. Vaccination sites will not report you to immigration authorities, and your information will remain confidential. NYC is committed to ensuring that everyone, regardless of status, has access to health care, including the COVID-19 vaccine.
For Uninsured Wisconsinites, Finding A Free COVID-19 Vaccine Will Be Harder, Now That A Key Federal Program Has Ended
For Wisconsin residents without health insurance, it will be harder to find free COVID-19 vaccines this fall, now that a federal program that previously footed the bill has ended.
Pharmacies like CVS and Walgreens no longer provide free COVID-19 vaccines to uninsured adults, now that the federal Bridge Access Program has run out of funding. Launched last year, the program was meant to be a temporary measure to ensure access to COVID-19 vaccines for uninsured adults, while distribution of the vaccines was transitioning from the federal government to the commercial market. Nationwide, more than 1.5 million people were vaccinated against COVID-19 through the program, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
CVS charges the uninsured $202 for an updated COVID-19 vaccine, said Amy Thibault, lead director of external communications at CVS Pharmacy. Walgreens charges at least $147 for an updated COVID-19 vaccine for an adult, according to searches of its online coupon-finding tool.
Most insurance plans cover the updated COVID-19 vaccine at no cost to covered patients, as long as the provider of the shot is in their network. But for those without health insurance or whose plan doesn't cover the full cost of the vaccine, the options for finding a free COVID-19 vaccine are now much more limited.
Some local health departments will provide COVID-19 vaccines for free to the uninsured, but many health departments are still waiting to receive the updated vaccines and expect their supply will be limited.
The Food and Drug Administration approved the latest, updated versions of the COVID vaccine last month, and drug manufacturers began shipping the updated vaccines to pharmacies and other health care providers. Similar to the annual flu vaccine, the COVID-19 vaccines are updated every year to provide better protection against the strains of the virus spreading now.
The Milwaukee Health Department plans to use roughly $500,000 in federal pandemic aid to buy about 4,000 doses of COVID-19 vaccine to make available to the public, said spokesperson Caroline Reinwald. The health department hopes to have the new vaccines available by early October, in time for an immunization kickoff event whose details are still being finalized, she said.
In addition, the health department expects to receive doses specifically for uninsured and underinsured adults through Wisconsin's Vaccines for Adults program, Reinwald said. The program, which is funded by federal dollars, provides vaccines to local health departments and some free clinics to give to adults without insurance or ones whose insurance doesn't fully cover a COVID-19 vaccine.
Stephanie Schauer, Wisconsin's immunization program manager, expects about 7,000 vaccine doses will be available to uninsured and underinsured adults statewide through the program.
An estimated 312,000 residents in Wisconsin, including nearly 60,000 children, did not have health insurance in 2020, according to a 2022 report by the Wisconsin Office of the Commissioner of Insurance analyzing the state's uninsured population.
"We recognize that the number of doses available to Wisconsin does not meet the need for all un- and underinsured adults," Schauer said.
On Thursday, Schauer did not have an estimated timeline for when local health departments could expect to receive some of those 7,000 doses.
"We are currently working to get that ordering and that implementation in place for the providers, so in the very near future, providers will have that opportunity to go ahead and order, and vaccine will start to be shipped," she said.
The Wauwatosa Health Department hopes to have a "limited supply" of COVID-19 vaccines for uninsured and underinsured adults. A public health nurse with the department said Tuesday they were waiting on more information from the state about how to order that vaccine through the Vaccines for Adults program.
The Southwest Suburban Health Department, which serves West Allis, Greenfield and West Milwaukee, also does not have COVID-19 vaccines in stock and hopes to be able to offer the shots within the next month to anyone 6 months old and up, regardless of their insurance status, said Melissa Thomas, public health nurse coordinator. Thomas acknowledged that the number of vaccines for adults without insurance is "limited," and she didn't know how many the department would receive.
The Cudahy and Oak Creek health departments also hope to have a "limited" number of COVID-19 vaccines available for uninsured adults, though they did not have a firm idea of when they would be available.
Children who are uninsured, underinsured or enrolled in BadgerCare Plus are able to get the COVID-19 vaccine for free through a longstanding federal program called Vaccines for Children. Providers who participate in the program can be found online at dhs.Wisconsin.Gov/immunization/vfc-parent.Htm.
President Joe Biden's administration has proposed a similar program to the longstanding Vaccines for Children program that would fund routine immunizations, including for COVID-19, for uninsured adults, at no cost to them, according to the CDC. But so far, Congress has declined to fund it.
A Walgreens spokesperson encouraged uninsured adults to check with their local health department for vaccine availability and to review whether they might be eligible for Medicaid, Medicare or subsidized health insurance through the Marketplace.
The spokesperson also encouraged them to look up coupons for discounted COVID-19 vaccines using the Walgreens Rx Savings Finder.
A search found coupons listing a discounted price of around $150 for a COVID-19 vaccine. To find coupons for the COVID-19 vaccines using the Walgreens tool, search the names of the vaccines: Comirnaty (made by Pfizer), Spikevax (made by Moderna) and Novavax (made by Novavax).
This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: For uninsured Wisconsinites, finding a free COVID vaccine will be hard
View comments
Comments
Post a Comment