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A federal program that helped people get COVID-19 vaccines at no cost has ended. That means uninsured people may be asked to pay as much as $200 for the potentially life-saving shot.

The CDC recommends everyone ages 6 months and older get this season’s updated version of the vaccine, which is expected to become available later this month. The federal Vaccines for Children program will continue to cover COVID shots for eligible children.

The vaccines reduce the likelihood of severe illness that can lead to hospitalization or death and also can reduce the chance of having the potentially disabling symptoms of long COVID.

COVID remains a serious threat to people’s health, accounting for 2.2% of all U.S. deaths in the past year. Nationwide, levels remain very high as shown by emergency department visits, hospitalization rates and wastewater surveillance. Head over to WebMD to read the full story.