Community Health & Wellness

COVID vaccines still available in Washington, but barriers could be on the horizon

Hospital visits for COVID-19 reached their highest point of the calendar year last month, part of a summer surge that was relatively modest compared to prior years.

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About 1.4% of hospital visits involved COVID in late August, according to state data. That was half the rate seen at this time the past two years. It is an example of how the reaches of the virus have evolved, said Dr. Herbie Duber, interim health officer for the Kitsap Public Health District.

“But it’s not gone,” he cautioned members of the health board during a meeting earlier this month. “It still causes severe illness. It is a significant risk of mortality and we’re seeing it have an impact on our health care system.”

Duber’s remarks came as accessibility of COVID vaccines – still the best defense against the virus – may become more limited. While all Washington residents remain eligible for the shot, recent federal decisions could threaten availability and coverage.

Nearly all residents still eligible for vaccine

Washington residents six months and older, including pregnant women, remain eligible for the vaccine, in line with guidance from top medical groups. A standing order, which allows all state providers to administer COVID vaccines without a prescription, preserved access.

Dr. Tao Sheng Kwan-Gett, the state health officer, said barriers to vaccinations are complex. Public health officials want to ensure all residents have access to the shots.

“COVID-19 vaccines are well-researched, well-tested, and have saved millions of lives around the world,” he said in a news release.

The Washington state Department of Health issued the standing order last month in response to a controversial decision by the federal Food & Drug Administration. Updated guidelines approve vaccines only for people at least 65 years old or who have an underlying condition. 

The recommendation was a major departure from prior years and at odds with major medical groups and public health officials in Washington state. It likely will make it harder for younger adults and those without chronic problems to get a vaccine. 

Insurance coverage is uncertain

The standing order does not cover the cost of the shot. That is left up to the patient and their insurance provider. Apple Health, the state’s version of Medicaid, and most private insurers continue to cover these vaccines, according to the DOH. State law also makes immunizations free for those 19 and under.

Coverage of vaccines, however, could change following an upcoming meeting of the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices. The 17-member body under the Centers for Disease Control will review FDA guidance on vaccines this week.

For decades, experts responsible for setting vaccine guidelines comprised the committee. Its integrity is now being questioned after U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who frequently espouses false claims about vaccines, fired all its members. Vaccine skeptics replaced many, the New York Times reported.

The committee’s verdict could have national ramifications. It determines which shots insurance companies are required to cover.

“That will have a significant influence on the payment structure by insurance and availability,” Duber said. “Because if it’s not going to be paid for, production will decrease because there is not necessarily a market.”