COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Ends: What It Means For Testing, Vaccines In Virginia

VIRGINIA — The federal COVID-19 public health emergency expires nationwide on Thursday, which affects how vaccines and testing are covered in Virginia.

Much has changed since the World Health Emergency declared COVID-19 as a global pandemic over three years ago in March 2020. With much unknown about the virus at that time, the immediate response in Virginia was a scramble to prevent the spread with closures of schools, indoor dining and other facilities. In cases of severe illness from COVID-19, hospitalizations and deaths were a particular concern before the first COVID-19 vaccines became available to the public in late 2020 and early 2021.

Today, more is known about the virus, and millions have received COVID-19 vaccines in the U.S. The Biden administration chose to end the national public health emergency on May 11 since health officials believe the virus is not as disruptive with the wide availability of vaccinations, treatments, and testing.

The public health emergency's end on Thursday comes less than a week after the World Health Organization declared an end to COVID-19 as a global health emergency.

Virginia's COVID state of emergency ended in July 2021.

After the federal emergency ends, COVID-19 vaccines will largely remain free with insurance. For most people with insurance, vaccines recommended by the CDC's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, including COVID-19 vaccines, are covered by insurance without a copay. Medicaid will continue to cover COVID-19 vaccinations without a copay through at least September 2024.

For those without insurance, free COVID-19 vaccines continue to be available as long as supplies purchased by the federal government remain available. But once that supply paid for by the federal government runs out, free or reduced cost vaccination clinics may still be available through local health departments in Virginia. The federal government is planning a program to continue access to vaccines for uninsured or underinsured patients.

With the end of the public health emergency, insurance providers are no longer required to waive costs for at-home COVID-19 tests. Check with your insurance provider to see if at-home test costs are still covered by your insurance. Medicaid recipients can still get free at-home tests at least through September 2024. Costs for PCR testing may vary by insurance.

Residents can use the CDC’s No Cost COVID-19 Testing Locator or check with local Virginia health departments to find free options. Free at-home tests can still be ordered from the federal government.

Paxlovid, a treatment for severe COVID-19 illness, continues to be free through the federal government while supplies last. Residents needing treatment should talk to their health care provider.

The end of the public health emergency does not affect the emergency use authorizations for COVID-19 vaccines, testing and treatments.

In Virginia, the end of the public health emergency also means the COVIDWISE Exposure Notifications App will cease operations. The COVIDWISE app, using Bluetooth technology, informed thousands of users if they were in close contact with a person who anonymously reported a positive COVID-19 test. It was launched in August 2020, and over 20 states had similar exposure notification systems.

"We stated from day one that when COVIDWISE was no longer needed, VDH would take the app down," said Jeff Stover, the Virginia Department of Health chief of staff. "We are following through on that commitment to the public."

The Virginia Department of Health's COVID-19 dashboard remains active. The Virginia Hospital & Healthcare Association's COVID-19 hospitalization data dashboard ended on April 27.

The association decided to end the dashboard "with the federal COVID-19 public health emergency slated to end May 11 and statewide coronavirus hospitalizations at relatively low level." At the time the dashboard ended on April 27, there were 135 patients currently hospitalized with COVID-19, including 15 in the intensive care units.

Health officials say even as the public health emergency is ending, COVID-19 is still a threat. Residents can check with their local health departments for information on testing and vaccination availability. Local and statewide COVID-19 data is available from the Virginia Department of Health.