The federal COVID-19 emergency will end Thursday. How will that impact you?

The federal Public Health Emergency for COVID-19 is set to expire at the end of the day on Thursday. The expiration, which comes more than two months after Sonoma County and California declared the end of their own COVID-19 emergencies, will set into motion a slew of gradual changes to national programs that were put in place in 2020 to combat the pandemic.

Here’s what the federal declaration means for the average American.

COVID-19 vaccines, tests no longer free

Access to COVID-19 vaccines will change, as the federal government will no longer purchase or distribute vaccines after May 11.

According to the Department of Health and Human Services, vaccines will still be available for free to those people with most types of health insurance. Additionally, Medicaid will continue to to cover COVID-19 vaccines with no copay or cost sharing through September 2024.

The department added that certain out-of-pocket treatments, such as Paxlovid and Lagevrio, may change, depending on an individual’s health care coverage.

The federal program that provides free COVID-19 tests to every household will continue through the end of May at COVIDtests.gov. Those with Medicare can still receive free COVID-19 PCR and antigen tests if those tests are ordered by a physician or health care provider.

The Food and Drug Administration will still be able to approve products like tests, treatments and vaccines under the Emergency Use Authorizations program enacted at the start of the pandemic.

Medicare telehealth opportunities that exist for those who struggle to find care locally will continue through December 2024. Additionally, the government response to the longer-term effects of COVID-19, including Long COVID, will continue unabated.

COVID-19 tracking, reporting scaled back

The approach to reporting COVID-19 data will also change. After May 11, the Department of Health and Human Services will no longer have the authority to require lab test reporting for COVID-19. Hospital data reporting will continue through April 30, 2024, will be reduced from daily to weekly reports.

After May 11, COVID-19 vaccine requirements for federal employees, federal contractors, and international air travelers will end.

In terms of day-to-day activity, California and Sonoma County lifted COVID-19 emergency health orders on Feb. 28, meaning local residents have already seen changes to COVID-19 mandates including masking and testing.

Currently, there is no masking mandate in Sonoma County or California, though the state’s Health and Human Services Agency recommends people, especially those at high risk for severe illness, wear face coverings in public settings. Officials also recommend people with symptoms, a positive test, or exposure to someone with COVID-19 wear a mask.

The County of Sonoma Department of Health Services recommends testing for COVID-19 if you are feeling symptoms of the virus or have been exposed. If you test positive for COVID-19, officials still recommend isolating and practicing physical distancing.

California Department of Public Health still recommends that all individuals 6 months and older should get the COVID-19 vaccine and stay up to date with boosters.

Find out more information about vaccines and boosters at socoemergency.org.