- Today marks the end of the public health emergency in the United States, more than three years after it was first declared to combat the novel coronavirus by unlocking powerful tools to detect and contain the emerging threat. Several core aspects of America’s pandemic-era emergency safety net are also coming to a close, from extra food assistance to automatic re-enrollment in Medicaid. While these measures were always designed to be temporary, their expiration is inevitably producing hardship and confusion. For most people, vaccines will remain free, and tests will involve costs in some circumstances. Treatments like Pfizer’s oral antiviral Paxlovid will continue to be provided for free while the current inventory paid for by the government lasts. After that, most people will incur some costs. (Articles here, here, here, and here)
May 11, 2023
Public Health/Prevention | Tea Leaves