The currently available COVID vaccine has been around since September 2023 (and an additional dose of the vaccine was recommended this spring for people 65 and older). The new, updated COVID vaccine targeting the latest variants is expected to be available this fall, with both Pfizer and Moderna saying their vaccines could be ready as early as this month.
According to Chin-Hong, just because a new vaccine is expected soon should not stop uninsured people from getting vaccinated for free now – not only because the money for the free vaccinations will soon run out, but also because it is not necessarily the best idea to get the new vaccine immediately after it is released.
Even though the CDC recommends waiting two months between COVID shots, “you’re not going to want to get the vaccine right away anyway because it’s designed for the expected surge of cases in the winter,” Chin-Hong said. “If you get vaccinated too early, your maximum antibodies will peak before you need it.”
And despite the current high infection rates, some data suggests that the available COVID vaccine still offers good protection against the latest variants causing this surge, even though it was originally targeted at older variants, Chin-Hong said.
“The vaccine’s superpower is to protect against severe disease, hospitalization and death,” he said. “And even the (current) XBB.1.5 booster will work spectacularly well for that.”
Providing the current COVID vaccine for free could also buy the uninsured some time — and additional immunity — while health authorities work to further increase access for them, Chin-Hong says.
“Uninsured people who get vaccinated now can be confident that the vaccine will likely protect against severe disease for at least a year,” he said. “Even if there are problems with the new vaccine in the fall, I am confident that many of them will tolerate this reminder to their immune systems well and get through the winter reasonably well.”
How can I get a free COVID vaccine as quickly as possible if I don’t have insurance?
Like many other aspects of COVID care, finding a location that offers free COVID vaccinations for the uninsured through the Bridge Access Program has become more difficult during this phase of the pandemic — especially since the CDC removed its online vaccine search tool, which showed all Bridge Access Program locations, from vaccines.gov.
So if you’re uninsured and want to get a free COVID vaccination as soon as possible before program funding runs out, here are a few options to consider. Unfortunately, some of them require proactive research and action now.
Use the state’s My Turn Vaccine Locator
This online tool from the California Department of Public Health allows you to filter by vaccine type and insurance status. However, this tool does not show all vaccination sites that offer free vaccinations to people without insurance through the Bridge Access Program. For example, it only shows two clinics that offer COVID vaccinations to the uninsured within 50 miles of San Francisco (in Napa and San Jose).
Find a community health center through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS)
HHS has a mapping tool that shows community health centers that May are offering free COVID vaccinations for the uninsured. After searching for a location near you, contact the center directly to ask if they are offering free COVID vaccinations for the uninsured through the Bridge Access Program.
The San Francisco Department of Public Health (SFDPH) also says its AITC Immunization and Travel Clinic is giving the COVID vaccine to uninsured individuals, although the agency notes that “individuals outside of San Francisco are encouraged to contact their local health department to find a vaccine in their area.” The clinic is located at 101 Grove Street, Room 102, and appointments are required: Call 415-554-2625 for hours and availability.
SFDPH also recommends that uninsured individuals visit the San Francisco Free Clinic (4900 California Street; call 415-750-9894 for hours and availability), which is by appointment only. When you call, however, ask if you must live in San Francisco to receive a free COVID vaccine.
Contact your local pharmacy
Both the California Department of Public Health and SFDPH recommend that you contact pharmacies in your area directly and ask if they have COVID vaccines in stock and if they offer these vaccinations for free through the Bridge Access Program.
Remember, Really Be careful and double-check that the vaccination is actually free, as the cost can be very high.
Contact your local health department
Contact your city or county health department and ask if they still offer free COVID vaccinations for people without health insurance through the Bridge Access Program or other means. The links below may also contain information about community clinics that offer vaccinations—but be sure to emphasize that you are uninsured and seeking free vaccinations.
What will happen in the long term to free COVID vaccinations for the uninsured?
It is still unclear.
The California Department of Public Health said in a recent statement that it is “exploring options to support access to the COVID-19 vaccine for uninsured and underinsured adults even after the BAP program ends, including limited federal and state funding sources,” and that vaccine manufacturers “may also develop patient assistance programs.”
The agency “continues to strive to monitor vaccine access for vulnerable populations, including uninsured adults, and will share relevant information as it becomes available,” the report said.
Dr. Stacey of Lifelong Medical Care says that in the absence of official guidelines, clinics like his will be “working to see what we can do to get funding and resources so that hopefully in the near future we will be able to get vaccines back to the uninsured.”
“We are trying to figure out how we can get funding or at least buy a limited supply of vaccines that we can use for the homeless,” he said. “We don’t have a solution for that right now. Not only are the vaccines not being made available to us through that program, but the cost of the vaccines has gone up.”
Dr. Chin-Hong of UCSF is optimistic that health authorities in the Bay Area and across the state will “likely find a way to get the new COVID vaccine into the arms of the uninsured” in the fall, as he has seen those authorities as “generally more forward-thinking” and willing to “provide more social safety net programs than many other areas of the country.”
However, he warns: “It will take some time before these programs can be introduced smoothly.”
