A doctor at the Louisiana Department of Health named Dr. Martha Whyte said, “The pandemic is over, but the virus will stay with us.” During the pandemic, the federal government took care of people’s needs. The vaccines were handled by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the states. There were also federal programs that gave out doses. The government is no longer in an emergency.
They have changed their mind and will no longer print vaccination cards. “Now that the pandemic is over, everything is going back to how we normally order and get vaccines into the United States.” “CDC is taking a step back from that process,” Dr. Whyte said.
Even though the number of COVID cases and hospitalizations in Louisiana has stopped rising, Dr. Whyte says the virus will be around for a long time because it keeps changing.
“It’s going to be a virus that comes out during its season,” Dr. Whyte said. “That season is probably going to be winter, but we’ve seen all of our viruses kind of extend their seasons until they’re year-round now.”
She says that people should keep getting vaccinated, especially since we might need a COVID-19 vaccine every year, just like for the flu.
The CDC set up the Bridge Access Program to help people get paid for vaccines. Dr. Whyte says to check with your doctor, Walgreens, CVS, and other independent pharmacies to see if they offer the service.
“Those programs help people who don’t have insurance or who do have insurance.” They might have insurance, but it doesn’t cover shots. “Or their deductible is very high,” Dr. Whyte said.
People in Louisiana can get access to all of their records through their medical provider with Links, so they don’t have to carry around a record of their shots.
On the other hand, if you want to see records of vaccinations. The Louisiana Department of Health website has information on how to sign up.
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