As we head into winter, public health officials say your chances of getting sick are on the rise.
The director of the CDC visited Connecticut on Thursday to encourage everyone to get vaccinated.
Efforts to get people vaccinated against COVID-19 have been upended by short supply and insurance coverage issues. It’s the first year that the federal government is not purchasing and distributing the shots.
“There have been some snafus and glitches, everybody's aware of them, some short supplies at various federally qualified health centers and other pediatric offices and so forth,” U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) said.
But CDC Director Mandy Cohen said those issues have been resolved, and now is the time to get the shot.
“As we get into the fall and winter, where we're doing activities where this virus likes to spread, we fully expect to see this virus continue to circulate and continue to go up just like we've seen the last few winters and fall,” Cohen said.
Cohen said 97% of the country has already contracted COVID or gotten the vaccine, but immunity wears off.
“By getting this updated vaccine now, it allows your body to be in the best fighting shape it possibly can be going into the fall and winter, when we're going to see more virus circulating,” Cohen said.
Cohen, Gov. Ned Lamont, Blumenthal, U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT-03), and state Public Health Commissioner Manisha Juthani visited the Fair Haven Community Health Center in New Haven on Thursday.
Lamont received his COVID and flu vaccines, and DeLauro received her COVID shot.
If you have health insurance, your insurance company is required to pay for the COVID vaccine.
The federal government has also established the Bridge Program to administer free vaccinations to people who do not have health insurance at retailers like CVS and Walgreens. To find a place to get a shot without insurance, go to vaccines.gov.
There is also a vaccine available for RSV. It is safe to get the flu and COVID shots together, but RSV shots should be administered at least two weeks later.
