A new COVID vaccine is due out next month, but health experts and analysts say it is likely to be coolly received even as hospitalizations from "Eris", a variant of the Omicron form of the coronavirus, rise around the country.

Some public health experts hope that Americans will welcome the new shot as they would a flu jab. But demand for the vaccine has dropped sharply since 2021 when it first became available and more than 240 million people in the U.S., or 73% of the population, received at least one shot.

In the fall of 2022, by which time most people had either had the COVID virus or the vaccine, fewer than 50 million people got the shots.

  • argv_minus_one@beehaw.org
    10·
    1 year ago

    Now how the heck do I get the booster without having to sign up on a website and agree to an arbitration clause? Because hell no, I’m not going to agree to that.

    • Limeade@beehaw.org
      12·
      1 year ago

      I’ve usually just walked into a local pharmacy and asked if they have the booster. My local pharmacy just has a standard paper form for all vaccination (flu, shingles, covid, etc) walk ins, there is no website or arbitration clause or even specific covid form. You might want to try a different pharmacy if that has been your experience.

      I just hope they don’t cost an exorbitant price now that the national health emergency has ended here. It was really nice being able to get them for free because I am poor.

      • JCPhoenix@beehaw.org
        3·
        1 year ago

        I bet it’ll be the same as flu shots. It’s not like those are actually “free.” Someone is paying for them, whether it’s insurance, the hospital/clinic itself, or more typically a governmental agency (usually state or local). I’ve paid a small co-pay for a flu shot before, but most times it’s “free” because my insurance covers it.

        Only time I’ve really paid for a vaccination was right before I travelled overseas. Needed a couple specialized immunizations and think that was like $75 total.

      • ArtZuron@beehaw.org
        1·
        1 year ago

        And that’s also after the companies that made them got billions of dollars to make them in the first place