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PULASKI COUNTY, Ky. (WKYT) – More than three years after the COVID-19 pandemic started, the President says the national emergency is coming to an end.
President Biden says the emergency will officially end in May.
Throughout the pandemic, if you needed anything from a COVID test to a vaccine, you could go to the health department and in most cases, it was free to you. However, the emergency ending means the costs are also changing.
Local health leaders say the public health emergency ending will also end the funneling of federal funds to pay for tests, vaccines and other tools used to combat the spread of the virus. That means if you need to get a test or a vaccine after May, it will likely cost you or your insurance.
“There’s a charge for administration and paperwork, usually an office work charge. I would guess anywhere from $50 to $75,” said Amy Tomlinson of the Lake Cumberland District Health Department.
Health leaders say it is kind of a good news, bad news situation, but they are more thankful the COVID-19 emergency is ending as it is another sign of life getting back to normal.
WKYT has also contacted the Fayette County Health Department and others in our region. We were told they didn’t have enough information yet to comment on what the federal emergency ending will mean for them.
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