Since the novel coronavirus was discovered, tested and formally named (COVID-19), numerous companies have worked endless hours to manufacture a vaccine to protect Americans from this debilitating virus. Currently, we can test for antibodies and the virus itself, but there is no Food and Drug Administration (FDA)– approved treatment to prevent or cure COVID-19. While Operation Warp Speed (OWS) aims to expedite availability, two questions still remain: “Will people get it and what will coverage look like?”

How America feels about a vaccine

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) vaccination coverage for the United States (U.S.) population during the 2018-2019 flu season was around 62.6%, which was an increase from years past. A recent poll by Pew Research found that only about 50% of Americans say they will get a COVID-19 vaccine when available, although some estimates go up as high as 72%.

To achieve herd immunity, a situation in which a sufficient proportion of a population is immune to an infectious disease to make its spread from person to person unlikely, about 70%-90% of Americans would need to get vaccinated. A vaccine is crucial to return to normalcy.

What coverage looks like

As a result of the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, COVID-19 vaccination for patients with health insurance must be covered as a “preventative health service” within 15 days.  For those uninsured, healthcare professionals may rely on the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, the Paycheck Protection Program, and the Health Care Enhancement Act to reimburse $1 billion for providing COVID-19 related services. A portion of the funding in the Provider Relief Fund will go toward administration of an FDA-approved vaccine when available.

Healthcare professionals can impact vaccine users

As part of our work every day, healthcare professionals raise awareness and discuss with our patients about the importance of vaccines and their safety and efficacy. To help make these discussions easier for clinicians, Allscripts collaborates with organizations like the American Immunization Registry Association (AIRA) and the interoperability%2C%20information%20sharing%20and%20management.#:~:text=The%20Immunization%20Integration%20Program%20%28IIP%29%2C%20implemented%20by%20HIMSS%2C,stakeholders%20to%20improve%20interoperability%2C%20information%20sharing%20and%20management.”>Immunization Integration Program (IIP) to develop solutions that provide clinicians with the information and decision-support tools they need at the point of care. Allscripts is committed to increasing vaccination coverage with the goal of reducing vaccine-preventable disease.

For more information on how Allscripts is addressing COVID-19, visit our COVID-19 resource page.