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

FLORIDA — The COVID-19 public health emergency is expiring nationwide on Thursday, which affects how vaccines and testing are covered in Florida.

Gov. Ron DeSantis has touted his response early in the pandemic, which allowed businesses to stay open and avoided a statewide mask mandate. The Republican, seen as a top contender to challenge former President Donald Trump for the party's 2024 nomination, has noted his COVID response as he tours the country on a book tour.

The governor has criticized lockdown policies in California and other states, while describing the Sunshine state as a “refuge of sanity” amid pandemic closures, Politico reported.

Florida made the controversial push to reopen schools in August 2020 with in-person instruction, The Washington Post reported. The state enacted a law in June 2021 banning COVID-19 vaccine passports and declaring all local emergency orders related to the pandemic suspended effective July 1 that year.

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 Florida 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.

According to the Florida COVID dashboard last updated on April 28, a total of 7,573,895 cases have been reported during the pandemic. Health officials said 88,219 Floridians died from the disease.

The U.S. saw more than 1.1 million COVID deaths, with the most fatalities and California, Texas and Florida.

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.

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 the state. 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 and 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.