Republicans the filibuster to block a $10 COVID Aid bill which would have helped the Department of Health and Human Services to buy more therapeutics, vaccines and testing supplies. The federally funded free at home testing program came to s screeching halt. If you need a COVID test you have to hope your insurance will help cover the cost. Free testing is a thing of the past, now be prepared to possible pay hundreds for a nose swab.
Omicron specific vaccine boosters are becoming available for this fall. The new shots from Pfizer and Moderna are bivalent, meaning that they target both the original Covid strain and omicron’s BA.5 subvariant. To be eligible, you’ll need to have completed your primary vaccination series — and be at least two months out from your last dose of any Covid vaccine, according to the CDC.
The new shots are free of charge to receive, for now. Here’s where you can get them if you’re eligible:
- Walgreens began offering both Pfizer and Moderna’s new boosters on Friday. The shots haven’t reached all of the chain’s locations yet, but new appointments are being added daily. You can view and schedule appointments on the Walgreens website, on the pharmacy’s app or by calling 1-800-WALGREENS.
- CVS also began offering both updated boosters on Friday. Its online system allows you to schedule multiple patients at once, which could make it easier for your family to get vaccinated together. You can schedule those appointments on the CVS website or on the pharmacy’s app.
“The consequences of not getting COVID funding are really serious—scary, almost,” Senator Chuck Schumer said, “The rest of the world is racing to buy up the supply of these treatments and these therapeutics, and if the U.S. falls behind because of a lack of funding, vulnerable Americans, and our whole country, will pay the price.”
America has seen more deaths from COID-19 than any other county in the world with over 1 million 400,000 dead. More than 400 Americans are sill dying every day but that has become business as usual. When politician have a chance to make a difference, they choose instead to run around with their hair on fire. Your tax dollars will no longer help protect you from the next COVID wave this fall.