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Since Wake County administered its first dose of the COVID-19 vaccine in December 2020, it has never charged anyone to receive protection from the virus. This could change with the end of the Public Health Emergency.
Beginning July 1, 2023, COVID-19 vaccines will no longer be offered for free at doctors’ offices, pharmacies or Wake County’s clinics. The shots will be treated like any other vaccine. Those with insurance will face copays and deductibles. The uninsured may have to pay full price. The exception is individuals with Medicaid who will continue to receive COVID vaccines at no cost.
“If you’ve been holding off on getting your vaccine or booster, now is the time to get it while it’s still free,” said Wake County Public Health Director Rebecca Kaufman. “We have plenty of doses available and getting protected from COVID-19 now can ensure you’re safeguarded through summer travel and activities.”
Under the Public Health Emergency, the U.S. Government purchased and distributed COVID-19 vaccines for free, regardless of insurance or status. Although the U.S. will continue to give out its stockpile of vaccines at no cost to the uninsured until the supply runs out, COVID-19 vaccines and treatments will transition to being financed by commercial or public insurance entities.
Moderna has indicated it plans to increase the cost of the vaccine to about $130 per dose from the current price of about $26. Pfizer has indicated its new price will be around $110 to $130 per dose.
While with insurance the price out of pocket won’t be this high, residents may still face copays and deductibles when these changes take effect in July.
For those looking to get their vaccine before the change takes place, Wake County Public Health has four vaccination locations throughout the county:
- Wake County Public Health Center, 10 Sunnybrook Road, Raleigh
- Wake County Health and Human Services Center at Departure, 5809 Departure Drive, Raleigh
- Northern Regional Center, 350 E. Holding Ave., Wake Forest
- Southern Regional Center, 130 N. Judd Parkway NE, Fuquay-Varina
Make an appointment by calling 919-250-1500 Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
There are also daily COVID-19 pop-up clinics happening at grocery stores, libraries, churches and community organizations. No appointments needed and no ID or insurance required. All locations and hours can be found at wake.gov/vaccine.
Staying Updated
Visit Wake County’s multilingual COVID-19 webpage for the latest information on COVID-19. It features a set of frequently asked questions to educate residents, COVID-19 vaccine information, COVID-19 testing locations and the most current data on how the virus is impacting our county.
Also, look for important updates about COVID-19 on Wake County’s Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts.
Photo by Daniel Schludi on Unsplash
