Health & Lifestyle

Vulnerable Americans to begin masking and testing again amid shambolic Covid booster rollout that has seen just 1% of country vaccinated in a month

  • Vaccine rollout is now in the hands of private companies and insurers
  • People who want the vaccine are facing shortages and long waits
  • READ MORE: Researchers develop oral shot that kills Covid before it infects 

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Vulnerable Americans are struggling to access the new Covid booster vaccine due to a shambolic fall rollout.

Weeks after new shots were approved and the vaccine rollout was handed off to private companies, just four million Americans, or one percent, have been inoculated with the latest version.

Despite Pfizer shipping more than 10 million doses of vaccines and Moderna shipping 1 million to locations across the country, Americans are still facing obstacles when showing up to get their shot. 

Inoculations are only now starting to be carried out this month in nursing homes and some facilities won’t start vaccinating vulnerable residents until November – despite rising infections among the elderly.

Also among the most vulnerable – young children. Danielle Campoamor’s son has been admitted to the intensive care unit twice with a respiratory infection. After the traumatic experience, Ms Campoamor said she makes appointments for her children to receive every updated vaccine: ‘The moment that there is a new [Covid vaccine], we sign up.’ 

Many Americans are being told at clinics or pharmacies their insurance covers the shot at no cost to them, others are being asked to pay more than $100 before they roll up their sleeve. 

The patchiness of this year’s rollout has been blamed on the fact it is being left to private firms than a US government sponsored campaign like was seen during the pandemic. 

A poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation revealed a majority of Americans are not planning to get the updated Covid booster vaccine this year. The red dotted line above shows the 50 percent margin

A poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation revealed a majority of Americans are not planning to get the updated Covid booster vaccine this year. The red dotted line above shows the 50 percent margin

The above map shows the proportion of people by state who got the previous updated booster vaccine. No state went above 25 percent of coverage

The above map shows the proportion of people by state who got the previous updated booster vaccine. No state went above 25 percent of coverage

Some families who are vulnerable have taken matters into their own hands have begun testing and masking up against to protect themselves as they wait for a vaccine.  

It came as Novavax announced it received approval from the Food and Drug Administration to begin shipping doses of its vaccine, which will be available in pharmacies next week. 

The US government has recommended all Americans aged six years and older get the new vaccine, which was updated to protect against the omicron sub-variants that have been driving a rise in cases. 

When the White House ended the Covid-19 public health emergency in May, it passed off responsibility of distribution, administration and payment to private companies including vaccine makers, pharmacies, and insurance plans. 

However, decentralizing the rollout of the vaccines, which were free to everyone, has made it difficult and confusing for Americans. 

Some Americans show up for the vaccine and are forced to wait for an hour, while others receive notifications the day before their appointment informing them 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 vulnerable and should have been prioritized.’

However, the chaotic rollout could see the elderly in nursing homes waiting until November to receive their new vaccine – and this wait could prove dangerous for many. 

Infections among this population have been increasing, and now stand at 9.7 per every 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 population, it could prove deadly. 

During the first two years of the pandemic, Covid killed more than 200,000 residents and staff, and facilities faced and continue to face resistance to the vaccines from both groups. 

While 62 percent of nursing home residents were up to date on their vaccines prior to the most recent being approved, just one-quarter of nursing home employees can say the same – putting residents at risk. 

And while Medicare will pay for vaccines for the residents, employees may be faced with insurance costs. 

On September 13, CVS said it would begin receiving doses of the new vaccine that day and would continue to receive inventory on a rolling basis. 

All CVS Pharmacy locations were expected to have the vaccine and people would be able to walk into a clinic or make an appointment online.

However, the company, the largest pharmacy chain in the US, told Reuters it was still experiencing delivery delays from its wholesalers. 

A spokesperson from McKesson, one of America’s largest wholesalers, said it had shipped 3.8 million Covid vaccines so far, but acknowledged it needed to increase its supply chain. 

A spokesperson for both CVS and Walgreens have each blamed canceled or rescheduled appointments on supply chain issues and delays in delivery. 

In a statement to DailyMail.com, a Walgreens spokeswoman said: ‘For the best experience, patients are encouraged to schedule an appointment in advance. Walgreens.com and the Walgreens app will continue to be updated to reflect availability.’ 

While Americans are growing frustrated with the hurdles they’re faced with, if last year’s uptake of the vaccine is any indicator for this year’s, many Americans may not even want to get boosted. 

Last year, just 17 million Americans received the updated Bivalent booster and a recent poll found 52 percent of adults in the US said they ‘definitely’ or ‘probably’ would not get the newest vaccine. 

Still, those most vulnerable, such as the elderly or immunocompromised individuals, are still dependent on the protection that comes from an updated vaccine. 

Jennifer Kates, a senior vice-president at KFF, was informed one day prior her Covid vaccine appointment at CVS was canceled. However, Ms Kates was due to attend a conference and then see her elderly parents.

Hoping the vaccine would provide her and her parents protection, Ms Kates told The Guardian they now will resort to testing and wearing masks. 

She said: ‘It was too bad that the timing didn’t work out; it was disappointing.’ 

For a New Jersey dad who was lucky enough to get vaccine appointments for himself, his wife and one of their daughters, it cost him nearly $600 in September and he is hoping he will be reimbursed by his insurance.  

Xavier Becerra, the U.S. health and human services secretary, said at a press conference last week the administration is aware of the issues and is working with insurers to iron out the problems. 

He confirmed anyone with Medicaid, Medicare or private health insurance should have the vaccine covered at no charge. For people without insurance, Mr Becerra said they could request a free shot through the government’s Bridge Access Program. 


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