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VashonBePrepared: Answers to your COVID vaccine questions

Published 1:30 am Wednesday, July 23, 2025

The very best “vaccine” against COVID is not getting infected in the first place. We are all familiar with the steps to take by now: Wash your hands. Wear a mask. Avoid large crowds and people known to be infected. (Courtesy graphic)
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The very best “vaccine” against COVID is not getting infected in the first place. We are all familiar with the steps to take by now: Wash your hands. Wear a mask. Avoid large crowds and people known to be infected. (Courtesy graphic)

The very best “vaccine” against COVID is not getting infected in the first place. We are all familiar with the steps to take by now: Wash your hands. Wear a mask. Avoid large crowds and people known to be infected. (Courtesy graphic)
The very best “vaccine” against COVID is not getting infected in the first place. We are all familiar with the steps to take by now: Wash your hands. Wear a mask. Avoid large crowds and people known to be infected. (Courtesy graphic)

Changes at the federal government level have raised concerns about vaccine access here on Vashon for three important respiratory disease vaccines — COVID, influenza (flu), and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).

We have received questions about the availability of the vaccines, their cost, health insurance coverage, and the best strategies for protecting yourself and your household members against these three respiratory viruses, given the current volatility in federal guidance.

Volunteers from Vashon Medical Reserve Corps (MRC) and VashonBePrepared have been meeting regularly to review developments relating to the three respiratory disease vaccines. Answers to some vaccine access questions have become clearer in the past few weeks, but several key aspects of COVID vaccine access remain murky.

Read on for an initial update on vaccine access, and look for additional updates as we approach the fall and winter respiratory virus season.

Insurance coverage

Free government-provided COVID shots ended over two years ago when the pandemic emergency declaration expired. For most people, vaccine access now depends on whether they have health insurance, what their health insurance company will cover, or their ability to pay any out-of-pocket costs. For people without insurance coverage or discounts, the current retail cost of a COVID vaccination is $150 or more.

Insurance companies, by law, base their coverage guidelines on guidelines from the federal Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) and the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control (CDC).

However, early this year, HHS Secretary Kennedy unilaterally narrowed guidance on COVID vaccination to exclude healthy pregnant women and children. Vashon MRC’s understanding of current CDC guidance is this:

• An annual COVID booster is recommended for all non-pregnant adults.

• Children from six months to 18 years should discuss vaccination with their healthcare provider, indicating they will need a prescription.

• Those over 65, or otherwise at high risk from COVID, should receive a second annual booster approximately six months after their fall booster.

The HHS Secretary’s decision to narrow vaccine advice could also narrow insurance coverage. However, some experts believe insurance companies in our state may opt to cover COVID vaccinations for pregnant women and children over 6 months of age without a prescription, based on two factors:

First: The Washington Department of Health has a Vaccine Advisory Committee that has already decided to follow the CDC’s prior recommendations. Insurance companies could decide to accept the state recommendations to determine vaccination coverage.

Second: Insurance companies could make a business decision to cover vaccinations not recommended by ACIP because the cost of vaccination is likely to be less than paying for the treatment of serious illnesses and hospitalizations.

At this time, there is no plan to change recommendations for flu and RSV vaccinations. We expect all three vaccines to be available, and Vashon Pharmacy, VashonBePrepared, and MRC will work together to provide them to all who want them.

What’s the bottom line? Will my health insurance cover the vaccinations I want?

Because ACIP left recommendations for flu and RSV vaccinations in place, your health insurance coverage should continue for those vaccinations. As explained above, however, it is too early to know what insurance companies will decide about 2025-2026 COVID vaccination coverage for groups that fall outside CDC recommendations, if and when they come.

You will always have the option of obtaining a COVID vaccination and paying for it out of pocket if you can afford it. If you have questions about vaccination coverage, please contact your health insurance provider.

Will Vashon Pharmacy offer a vaccination campaign this year?

Yes. Despite the uncertainty surrounding insurance coverage for COVID vaccinations, MRC and VashonBePrepared are already working with Vashon Pharmacy on plans for the annual vaccination campaign. The way is clear to conduct fall clinics for flu and RSV vaccinations, regardless of insurance coverage for COVID vaccinations.

What does Vashon Medical Reserve Corps recommend?

MRC agrees with the latest advice from a long list of national professional medical societies. Therefore, MRC recommends following the 2024-2025 ACIP guidelines for COVID vaccination that include all children older than 6 months, and all adults including pregnant women. Those 65 and older should receive two COVID boosters annually — one in the fall and a second approximately six months later.

The professional societies’ recommendations encompass a broad range of practice areas, including pediatrics, infectious diseases, OB-GYN, and internal medicine.

How dangerous is COVID right now?

A COVID infection is just as dangerous as it ever was, especially if you are in one of the high-risk groups, such as seniors or those with chronic diseases. More than 30 King County residents have died from COVID so far this year. Nationally, five hundred to a thousand people die of COVID every week throughout the year. Most are over 70.

However, the number of people being hospitalized or dying from COVID has dropped to a lower level than at the height of the pandemic. MRC has been monitoring the incidence of COVID in anticipation of the summer surge that has happened every year since 2020. Cases are currently on the rise in the southern and eastern US, and a resurgence is expected to eventually reach the West Coast.

If I’m worried about COVID, what should I be doing to be safe?

The MRC and CDC recommend that individuals 65 and older, or those with one of the other risk factors, get vaccinated now — even if they received a booster over the winter. Vaccine effectiveness wanes over six months, so a second annual booster has been recommended for seniors and others at risk for the past three years.

The COVID vaccine is available and is covered now by health insurance based on the 2024-2025 ACIP recommendations. It is therefore best to get the protection while you can. Getting a second booster now should not affect eligibility for a new booster in the fall.

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