Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine will remain free until health emergency ends

by Lee Stoll, KOMO News

Sat, February 18th 2023, 7:53 PM UTC

FILE - In this March 16, 2020, file photo, Neal Browning receives a shot in the first-stage safety study clinical trial of a potential vaccine for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle. The first experimental COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S. is on track to begin a huge study next month to prove if it really can fend off the coronavirus, its manufacturer announced Thursday, June 11 -- a long-awaited step in the global vaccine race. The vaccine, developed by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and Moderna Inc., will be tested in 30,000 volunteers -- some given the real shot and some a dummy shot. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)

Students at West Seattle High School were asked to voluntarily wear masks to help curb a recent COVID-19 outbreak at the school in February 2023. (KOMO News)

FILE - A pharmacist injects a patient with a booster dosage of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine at a vaccination clinic in Lawrence, Mass., on Wednesday, Dec. 29, 2021. U.S. regulators have authorized updated COVID-19 boosters, the first to directly target today's most common omicron strain. The move on Wednesday, Aug. 13, 2022, by the Food and Drug Administration tweaks the recipe of shots made by Pfizer and rival Moderna that already have saved millions of lives. (AP Photo/Charles Krupa, File)

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FILE - In this March 16, 2020, file photo, Neal Browning receives a shot in the first-stage safety study clinical trial of a potential vaccine for COVID-19, the disease caused by the new coronavirus, at the Kaiser Permanente Washington Health Research Institute in Seattle. The first experimental COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S. is on track to begin a huge study next month to prove if it really can fend off the coronavirus, its manufacturer announced Thursday, June 11 -- a long-awaited step in the global vaccine race. The vaccine, developed by the U.S. National Institutes of Health and Moderna Inc., will be tested in 30,000 volunteers -- some given the real shot and some a dummy shot. (AP Photo/Ted S. Warren, File)

SEATTLE — It may not feel like it, but the United States is still under a public health emergency declaration from the COVID-19 pandemic.

The declaration is set to expire in May.

"I think a lot of policies are shifting towards maybe ending the restrictions, but as far as health goes, there’s a level of risk that’s always going to be there." Seattle resident Michael Lambrix said.

Now, Moderna is saying people who are insured will still get the vaccine for free. People who don't have insurance or whose insurance doesn't cover the vaccine can get the shot through the pharmaceutical company's patient assistance program, a change from January.

The Wall Street Journal reported Moderna considered charging $110-$130 per vaccine dose. In October, Pfizer said it was also looking at a similar charge for its vaccine.

A new study now shows how strong natural immunity is after someone recovers from COVID-19.

Researchers from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation COVID-19 forecasting team found people are protected against symptomatic illness for at least 10 months after COVID-19 infection at levels equal to two vaccines. They also say it's enough to where most people may only need one annual booster.

"King County has a pretty high vaccination rate, so it’s been a lot more manageable up here," Seattle's Nicklas Smith said.

But case counts are fluctuating. Students at West Seattle High School were asked to voluntarily mask up last week.

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According to the school district's COVID-19 dashboard, it has seen 142 cases this year, up more than 50 cases in just over a week.

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