Most insurance covering COVID vaccine

HIGH POINT — People should be able to get the latest COVID-19 vaccination for free despite changes at the federal level that have rewritten recommendations for addressing the virus.

"It's difficult to give an exact answer," said Jordan Smith, associate professor of clinical sciences at High Point University, "but for the moment it appears most people's health insurance will cover COVID-19 vaccines for the season."

But without insurance coverage, the cost for a vaccination could be up to $140, public health advocates say.

In addition, a standing order issued earlier this month by Gov. Josh Stein means that pharmacies in North Carolina should have the latest COVID-19 formulation in stock, Smith said.

"It'll be important to verify with your insurance that the shot is covered, but most insurance plans have said they'll cover it," Smith told The High Point Enterprise.

The lead-up to the fall and winter COVID-19 vaccination season has been disjointed during the first year of vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. serving as secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The latest example played out recently in Washington, D.C., when the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices declined to recommend that Americans get the COVID-19 shot. During a meeting that at times drifted toward the chaotic, the advisory panel left vaccination as a personal decision.

The shift represents the first major change in national vaccination policy since the onset of the coronavirus pandemic 5 1/2 years ago.

The N.C. Department of Health and Human Services reiterated that vaccines have a proven track record of reducing the risk from COVID-19.

"Getting your vaccinations now for COVID-19, flu and RSV if you are eligible is important so you have the best protection during peak respiratory virus season through the winter months," the department said.

State health officials say that people may want to call their pharmacy or medical clinic ahead of time to ensure they have the COVID-19 vaccine and make an appointment if one is required or preferred.