Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases

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COVID-19 Vaccine Implementation

Georgina Peacock, MD, MPH

Immunization Services Division

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

Ensuring no-cost, timely access to the 2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines
COVID-19 activities are integral to the broader Fall respiratory virus vaccine program goals

Protect Promote Communicate Implement

Protect Americans 

from influenza, COVID19, and RSV

Promote vaccine 

uptake among those at 

higher risk:

• Older adults and 

long-term care 

facility residents

• People with 

underlying medical 

conditions

• People who are 

pregnant

• Children

Communicate new and 

rapidly changing 

recommendations for 

influenza, COVID-19, 

and RSV

Implement Fall 

vaccination equitably, 

including through the 

Bridge Access Program 

for COVID-19 Vaccines

Fall Respiratory Virus Vaccine Program
Commercialization of COVID-19 Vaccines

What will change

▪ Transition of federal procurement and 

distribution of all COVID-19 vaccines to more 

traditional public/private model

▪ End of CDC COVID-19 Provider Agreement

▪ Vaccine data reporting transitions to routine 

reporting processes for jurisdictions that 

have signed data use agreement (DUA) with 

CDC

What will not change

▪ Evidence-based vaccination program to 

develop recommendations, monitor safety 

and effectiveness, and strengthen vaccine 

confidence

▪ CDC’s commitment to ensuring access to 

COVID-19 vaccines at no cost
Snapshot of COVID-19 vaccine data reporting plans

Administration data from reporting states National Immunization Surveys

Bridge Access Program for COVID-19 Vaccines

Other surveillance systems

Vaccine Safety Datalink

Other data sources

Omnibus surveys

Internet panel survey of pregnant people

Distribution data
Promotion and Communication
COVID-19 Communications will be part of a PanRespiratory Efforts

Encourage vaccination as the first tool in our toolbox for respiratory virus season

Additional tools to protect yourself:

• washing hands with soap and water

• staying home if you are feeling sick

• avoiding close contact with sick people

• avoiding touching your eyes, nose, and mouth

• Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing

• ensuring the air around us is well-ventilated

• wearing a mask if you’re at risk or if COVID-19 hospitalizations are high in your 

area

• Practice good health habits, such as cleaning and disinfecting frequently 

touched surfaces, and taking care of your health
Communication Components and Tactics

Healthcare Providers:

• Owned Media

• Social media

• Press release

• Earned Media

• Medscape article

• Trade outlets

• Paid (boosted) social media

• Medical society partner outreach

Consumers:

• Owned Media

• Social media posts

• Earned media

• Blanket (matte) release in English 

and Spanish

• Op-ed piece

• Paid media

• TV ads in select markets

• Boosted social media posts

• Partner outreach and tool 

kit
▪ COVID-19 – Bridge Access Program

– Audience: No-cost COVID-19 vaccines for underinsured

and insured adults

– Kickoff: September 2023

– Campaign work underway

▪ COVID-19 – General

– Kickoff: September/October 2023

– Communication materials underway

▪ RSV

– Kickoff: September 2023

– Older adult vaccine with HCP recommendation and RSV immunization for infants

– Audience: Communication materials under development with a focus on clinicians

COVID-19 Outreach Activities
Implementation
Resources for partners

▪ vaccines.gov

– All sites offering COVID-19 and flu vaccines

– This week: sites offering Bridge Access Program COVID-19 vaccines
Ensuring no-cost, timely access to COVID-19 vaccines

▪ Timely access for all

▪ Established access for those with health insurance

▪ Established access for children

▪ Ensuring no-cost access for adults

▪ Program design to maximize proximity

▪ Program design to maximize equity
Availability of COVID vaccine

▪ Federal contracts have been modified to allow hastened delivery of the 

2023-2024 COVID-19 vaccines within public health infrastructure for 

children and adults

• Projected first dose availability: within 48 hours of CDC 

recommendation

▪ Contracts with participating retail pharmacies have been modified to 

allow doses with the Bridge Access Program to begin simultaneously with 

doses offered through private insurance 

• Projected first dose availability: within 48 hours of CDC 

recommendation

▪ Commercial insurance is expected to be available in the same timeframe
Ensuring no-cost, timely access to COVID-19 vaccines

▪ Timely access for all

▪ Established access for those with insurance

▪ Established access for children

▪ Ensuring no-cost access for adults

▪ Program design to maximize proximity

▪ Program design to maximize equity
Insurance plans will cover the 2023-2024 COVID-19 

vaccines immediately

▪ The Affordable Care Act (ACA) requires insurers to cover mostACIP-recommended 

vaccines without cost sharing by the next coverage year1

– COVID-19 vaccines are on recommended schedules since February 20232

▪ Section 3203 of the CARES Act expedites coverage of COVID-19 vaccines beyond 

that which is required of most preventive services

– As of January 5, 2021: “plans and issuers must cover COVID-19 vaccines and their 

administration without cost sharing immediately once the vaccine becomes 

authorized under an EUA or approved under a BLA, and according to the scope of 

the applicable EUA or BLA”3

▪ In July 2023, HHS issued guidance to payors to prepare to cover COVID-19 

vaccination with the onset of COVID-19 vaccine commercialization4

1. 42 U.S. Code § 300gg–13 - Coverage of preventive health services. https://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/text/42/300gg-13

2. CDC Immunization Schedules by Age: https://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/schedules/hcp/index.html

3. FAQs about Affordable Care Act Implementation Part 50: https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/EBSA/about-ebsa/our-activities/resource-center/faqs/aca-part-50.pdf

4. CMS Administrator Brooks-LaSure Letter to Payors Regarding Coverage of COVID-19 Vaccines Post Commercialization, July 13 2023: https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2023/07/13/cms-administrator-brooks-lasure-letterto-payors-regarding-coverage-covid-19-vaccines-post-commercialization.html
People with Medicare and Medicaid will also have 

access to COVID-19 vaccines at no cost 

▪ COVID-19 vaccines covered under Medicare Part B without cost-sharing

▪ Inflation Reduction Act, passed in August 2022, includes key provisions:

– Eliminates cost-sharing for all ACIP-recommended vaccines under 

Medicaid and Medicare Part D/equivalent plans

–Guarantees that nearly 50 million Medicare beneficiaries and more than 

80 million Medicaid beneficiaries will have access to all vaccines 

recommended by ACIP without cost-sharing

Children 0 through 18 years of age who meet 

at least one of the criteria:

• Medicaid eligible

• Uninsured, or

• American Indian/Alaska Native, or 

• Underinsured*

VFC Program Eligibility

* Eligible to receive vaccine only through an enrolled Federally Qualified Health 

Center (FQHC), Rural Health Center (RHC) or a deputized provider under 

Delegation of Authority
• Approximately 50% of US children

• >$4 billion program

• CDC distributes more than 75M doses of pediatric 

vaccine each year, the vast majority of which is 

purchased through VFC.

• Nearly 38,000 VFC provider locations across 61 

VFC awardee jurisdictions

VFC Program Reach

The VFC program has reduced racial, ethnic, and 

economic disparities in infant immunization in the US