The Biden Administration has put out a notice to end the COVID-19 national and public health emergency on May 11 after three years of sweeping pandemic measures. 

Dallas County Health Navigation Coordinator Ann Cochran says that the information Dallas County Public Health put out for the covid-19 virus will not change after the declaration ends. 

“Just like with influenza, we’ll keep our community up to date on spikes in cases and on availability of immunizations.”

Cochran explains one thing people will have to keep in mind is that the federal government will stop paying for COVID-19 testing and treatment after the declaration ceases. She tells Raccoon Valley Radio there is no telling how much the COVID-19 benefits will cost. 

“Mostly it will be one of those things like consumer demand and availability. I think that if the COVID tests are out on the free market, that there’ll be sales though, you know, places that will be a promotion for them So I think that they’ll continue to be available.”

Cochran says once the emergency declaration expires, people with private insurance could face some out-of-pocket cost for vaccines and the uninsured will have to pay for full expenses. According to Pfizer and Moderna, when moving to the commercial market they plan on charging somewhere between $110 and $130 per COVID-19 vaccine dose.