Press Release: CDC Vaccine Recommendations Ensure Broad Access and Availability of COVID-19 Vaccines
CDC Vaccine Recommendations Ensure Broad Access and Availability of COVID-19 Vaccines
WASHINGTON (September 12, 2023) – The COVID-19 Vaccine Education and Equity Project, a group of over 255 leading organizations representing patients, caregivers and families, diverse communities, health care workers, older Americans, veterans, frontline workers and scientists, released the following statement today in response to the latest Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals and authorizations and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommendations for updated COVID-19 vaccines.
“Today’s actions are an essential step in helping protect public health in advance of the fall and winter respiratory illness season. The broad-based routine and FDA-authorized and approved recommendations endorsed today enable anyone who could benefit from the vaccine to get immunized, if they choose,” said Sue Peschin, President and CEO of the Alliance for Aging Research, one of three conveners of the COVID-19 Vaccine Education and Equity Project.
“Medicare, Medicaid, and private insurers are required by law to cover, with no cost sharing, updated COVID-19 vaccines. For the uninsured, the Administration is deploying the Bridge Access program to provide no-cost access to COVID-19 vaccines for adults through public health clinics, community health centers, and participating retail pharmacies. And children, regardless of insurance status, have access to no cost vaccines through the Vaccines for Children program,” said Beth Battaglino, RN-C, CEO of Healthy Women, one of three conveners of the COVID-19 Vaccine Education and Equity Project.
“Because of recent changes to the law, access to vaccines is better than at any previous time, but access doesn’t always translate into action. We need to continue to spread the word that vaccination is one of the most effective things we can for ourselves individually as well as for the public health,” said Karyne Jones, President and CEO of the National Caucus and Center on Black Aging, one of three conveners of the COVID-19 Vaccine Education and Equity Project.
The COVID-19 Vaccine Education and Equity Project recently launched the You’re Covered campaign, a multi-stakeholder effort to provide the latest information on how COVID-19 vaccines are covered by private and public insurance – and to offer details on how, in almost all cases, updated vaccines remain available at no cost to the public. For resources in English and Spanish, visit covidvaccineproject.org/covered.
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About the COVID-19 Vaccine Education and Equity Project
As more than 255 leading organizations representing patients, caregivers and families, diverse communities, healthcare workers, older Americans, veterans, frontline workers and scientists, the COVID-19 Vaccine Education and Equity Project launched in December 2020 to provide information about the clinical trials process, regulatory review, distribution of and access to COVID-19 vaccines in a way that promotes equity and trust. Support for the project has been provided by Pfizer, Inc., Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen and Novartis. Learn more at covidvaccineproject.org and follow us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, TikTok, and X at @COVIDVxProject.
