Biden Administration Outlines Plan to Get Americans Updated COVID- 19 Vaccine Shot and Manage COVID- 19 this Fall

Today, the Biden Administration is announcing its plan to get Americans their updated COVID-19 vaccine shot this fall, to ensure that the nation continues to effectively manage COVID-19 and minimize its disruptions, and to stay prepared for whatever may come.

This plan builds on the Administration's work over the past 19 months to make COVID-19 vaccines, treatments, tests, masks, and other critical tools widely available to the American people. As the first nation in the world with updated vaccines that target the strain of Omicron that is dominant in the U.S. and around the world, we have a new, powerful tool to prevent serious illness and death, keep businesses and schools open, and get back to our more normal routines.

This summer, we showed that we know how to manage fluctuations in COVID-19 and move forward safely. In fact, even as the BA.5 subvariant of Omicron drove a rise in infections, the U.S. experienced far lower rates of hospitalization and death than in previous surges. Today, daily COVID-19 deaths are down nearly 90 percent since the President took office, and when properly used, the tools we now have can prevent nearly all COVID-19 deaths.

As we head into the fall, we know that there is a potential for an increase in infections, in part due to increased waning of immunity from vaccines and prior infection. Additionally, as the weather gets colder and people spend more time indoors, contagious viruses like COVID-19 can spread more easily. And, as we saw last fall with the emergence of Omicron, we must continue to stay prepared for the possibility of a potential new variant of concern.

The Administration's plan to manage COVID-19 this fall focuses on making sure that Americans continue to have easy and equitable access to lifesaving tools, particularly the updated COVID-19 vaccines, and encouraging Americans to use them. Its success relies on all Americans-state and local leaders, health care providers, employers, educators, community- and faith-based organizations, and individuals-doing their part and taking commonsense actions to protect themselves, their loved ones, and their communities.

The Administration's plan includes:

1. Getting Americans the best available protection through free and easy access to new, updated COVID-19 vaccines.Following actions last week by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), we are launching a new, updated COVID-19 vaccine this week. The new vaccines provide the strongest available protection from the Omicron strain of the COVID virus, which did not exist when the original vaccine was developed. As the virus continues to change, we will now be able to update our vaccines annually to target the dominant variant. Everyone age 12 years and older is eligible for these updated vaccines at least two months after their primary series or their most recent booster. Given the potential for cases to increase in the fall and winter, it is critical that Americans get a new, updated COVID-19 vaccine to stay protected. The Administration is launching a comprehensive effort to make sure that these vaccines are free, widely available, and easy to access for all Americans.

• Offering new, updated COVID-19 vaccines for free at tens of thousands of trusted locations, with convenient appointment and walk-in hours: The Administration has secured over 170 million doses of the updated COVID-19 vaccines, which will be made available to the American people for free at tens of thousands of convenient locations nationwide, including pharmacies, doctor's offices, health centers, and state and local health departments. Americans can visit Vaccines.gov to find locations with the new, updated vaccines near them-with more locations and appointments becoming available in the coming days and weeks. After pre-ordered doses are delivered, over 90 percent of Americans will have a location with free, updated COVID-19 vaccines within 5 miles of where they live. The Administration is working with providers to ensure that vaccinations are offered at convenient hours for working families, including on the weekends and in the evenings, and through walk-in appointments. These efforts will help to ensure that the public can get boosted in trusted locations and at times that work best for them.
  • Helping people get their COVID-19 shot and flu shot at the same time in one place: Americans can elect to get their annual flu shot at the same time as their updated COVID-19 vaccine. For Americans who want to get their updated COVID-19 shot and their annual flu shot at the same time, the Administration is working with providers to be able to offer both vaccines at many locations, so Americans can easily and efficiently get the protection that they need for the fall and winter.
  • Launching new community vaccination centers where needed: The Administration remains ready to help jurisdictions interested in standing up new community vaccination centers increase access to the updated COVID-19 vaccines. The Federal Emergency Management Agency will continue to offer reimbursement for 90 percent of the eligible costs of setting up vaccination sites-from procuring equipment to offering translation and transportation services to communities.

• Focusing on protecting those most at-risk: The Administration is launching a targeted campaign to get highest-risk Americans-including older Americans and immunocompromised individuals-their updated COVID-19 vaccine shot as quickly as possible.
  • In the coming weeks, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) will reach out to the more than 16 million people who receive Medicare emails to share information on these updated vaccines, including when and how to get them. CMS will also add a message on the updated COVID-19 shots to the 1-800-MEDICARE line, reaching approximately 2 million people each month. The Administration for Community Living (ACL) will help older adults find information about where and how to get boosted through the Eldercare Locator, including connecting individuals who face barriers to leaving their homes with local services. The Administration will also continue to provide moderately or severely immunocompromised individuals the support they need to live their lives safely. This includes providing clear information on how to access the updated COVID-19 vaccines and further expanding access to and awareness of effective pre-exposure prophylactics such as Evusheld to supplement vaccine protection.
  • The Administration will work with long-term care and other congregate settings serving older Americans and people with disabilities to ensure that we are protecting those most at risk with these updated vaccines. CMS will offer resources to thousands of nursing homes so that they have tools to help get residents and staff vaccinated, including: helping schedule on-site vaccination clinics; meeting directly with nursing home administrators to help make a plan to get their staff and residents boosted; and offering office hours with technical assistance and support. ACL will provide information to residents of long-term care facilities and their families about the benefits of updated vaccines.
  • ACL's Disability Information and Assistance Line (DIAL) will help people with disabilities find vaccination locations offering the updated vaccine, make appointments, and get connected to resources to overcome barriers to getting vaccinated, including transportation. ACL will also continue to work with state and local disability and aging organizations to use the remaining grant funding they were awarded last year to support vaccine access for people with disabilities and older adults.

• Empowering people with facts and answers to their questions: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is launching a comprehensive public education campaign that will leverage deep relationships with national and local organizations and will include paid media to meet people where they are with facts and answers to their questions.
  • Engaging community organizations: Building on the successful efforts that have gotten over 600 million shots in arms since January 2021, HHS will engage national, regional, and local community-based organizations to reach people with trusted information on the new, updated COVID-19 vaccines. This continued collaboration will help meet people where they are, and foster conversations with trusted members of their communities. Activities in September include:
    • Local chapters of the National Parent Teacher Association hosting "Shots to Go" vaccination clinics throughout the month.
    • Organizations with strong reach among racial and ethnic minority communities-including the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, the Cobb Institute, and the National Hispanic Pastor Alliance-hosting community health expos and vaccine drives in cities.
    • Faith-based groups, such as the Women's Missionary Society Foundation, hosting a series of vaccine events at AME Churches in several states.
    • Groups with strong reach across rural communities, such as Healthy Trucking of America, hosting pop-up clinics.