COVID vaccine and testing no longer free for some, leading to calls for alternative forms of funding
NEW YORK -- The Food and Drug Administration has authorized a second COVID-19 booster shot for people over 50.
But for anyone without insurance, the vaccine as well as testing could now cost you.
CBS2's Elijah Westbrook has details on what one doctor is saying about the importance of securing funding for these resources.
READ MORE: FDA and CDC clear second booster of COVID vaccine for ages 50 and over
COVID tests for uninsured Americans are no longer free in some places. That's because the federal program that reimburses clinics and hospitals for testing stopped accepting claims last week, according to the White House. It's a measure some feel can be problematic in the days ahead.
"People will just choose not to get tested, which is bad for public health," Manhattan Borough President Mark Levine said.
"If people aren't able to get test then everyone is just running around with COVID," added Sydney Kaplan of the Upper West Side.
The changes come as the new BA.2 variant makes up the majority of new COVID cases across the country. In the Northeast, the strain makes up at least 70 percent of those new cases, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
"The new variant subvariant, as it's called, is more transmissible than the original Omicron, but it does not appear to be more dangerous," said Dr. David Goldberg, an infectious disease specialist at New York Presbyterian Medical Group.
Goldberg said it's being closely monitored and added that getting that second booster shot may one day be recommended for all ages.
"For most people, I think it's gonna make more sense to wait until the fall to get a booster," Goldberg said. "If you get a booster now, which is the month of April, there's a pretty good chance that the immunity to that will also start to decrease by the time you get to the fall."
That's when Goldberg says new variants tend to form due to the colder weather.
In the meantime, the federal government will consider whether the general population should become eligible. If that happens, the White House says it doesn't have the resources to cover the shots.
"If at some point it becomes recommended that the full population requires a fourth shot, we're going to need additional funding," said Kate Bedingfield, the White House's director of communications.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says the seven-day average for new COVID hospitalizations nationwide is at its lowest level since the agency started keeping track.
Watch Elijah Westbrook's report
As CBS2's Ali Bauman reports, here in New York, hospitalizations and deaths are decreasing, but the city health department says cases are on the rise with the highest rate among 25-34-year-olds.
As a result, the city agency now strongly recommends New Yorkers wear a mask in public indoor places, even if fully vaccinated.
"Everywhere I go, people aren't wearing masks anyways, so it defeats the purpose," Midtown resident Taylor Victor said.
"I think I'm fine without the mask," Hell's Kitchen resident Thomas Oroso said.
"I err on the side of caution, although like most people I really dislike wearing a mask," Hell's Kitchen resident Paul Boddy said.
This comes as businesses are trying to get employees back in the office and just weeks after City Hall lifted most vaccine requirements for public places, along with mask mandates in schools.
"You gotta be flexible in this time and age," one person said.
"People can make their own decisions, whether they wanna leave the house or not," Victor said.
"At this point, I feel like I've done everything that I can and I'm gonna live my life," Karly Williams, of Hell's Kitchen, said.
Currently, New York City has a low COVID alert level, but the health department says if that's upgraded to a medium alert level, the city will consider bringing back requirements for face masks in high-risk settings and vaccines for indoor dining.
