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Need help with vaccination, boosters or testing?

Trained staff are standing by to help you find vaccine and testing locations, make appointments, order free at-home test kits, and connect to local services and supports if you need them to get vaccinated or tested. 

Both phone lines are staffed Monday-Friday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. (Eastern). (Use this infographic and this video to help spread the word about DIAL.) 

What's New

Here are the latest additions to this page. Sign up for ACL Updates to receive these and other updates via e-mail.

  • ACL has released new guidance for state units on aging on the end of the unwinding of certain Older Americans Act flexibilities due to the end of the Public Health Emergency (PHE) declaration and Major Disaster Declaration (MDD).

  • A CMS fact sheet, CMS Waivers, Flexibilities, and the Transition Forward from the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency.  COVID-19 efforts have been a significant priority for the Biden-Harris Administration, covers how the end of the public health emergency will effect COVID-19 vaccines, testing, and treatments; telehealth services; and health care access.

  • FDA has announced that Evusheld is not currently authorized for use because it is unlikely to offer protection against the COVID-19 variants that are common today. Since December 2021, Evusheld has been an option for people who are moderately or severely immunocompromised and people with a history of severe adverse reaction to a COVID-19 vaccine or its components.

    If you’ve already received Evusheld, it’s important to know that you may now have less protection from developing COVID-19 if exposed to the variants circulating today. However, there are many things you can do to increase your protection against COVID-19 including staying updated on vaccines, masking in public spaces, and improving indoor ventilation. In addition, several treatments, including Paxlovid and Veklury are available for COVID-19. Timely treatment can reduce your risk of getting very sick, being hospitalized, or dying as a result of an infection. This ASPR resource addresses questions about the change in authorization for Evusheld, and how people who are immunocompromised can protect themselves including staying updated with vaccines, developing 

  • In light of the FDA’s announcement, CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report details a variety of strategies that people who are immunocompromised can use to protect themselves from the variants of COVID-19 currently circulating in the United States. The strategies are summarized in this plain language CDC resource, which is also available in Spanish.

  • The CDC launched the COVID-19 Testing Locator website, which allows consumers to search for free COVID-19 testing sites near them. People with or without health insurance do not have to pay for COVID-19 testing at the Increasing Community Access to Testing (ICATT) locations identified on the site. 

  • The Consolidated Appropriation Act signed into law in December includes a number of changes to coverage for Medicaid and other public programs. Under this new law, states can end coverage for people who no longer meet the requirements for Medicaid, CHIP, and the Basic Health Program. On January 5, CMS released an informational bulletin on these changes.

  • Testing is an important tool to help mitigate and slow the spread of the virus this winter. Starting December 15, all U.S. households can place a new order for at-home COVID-19 tests that will be mailed directly to them for free. Free tests are also available that are more accessible for people who are blind or have low visions. Every household can now place one new order for either the standard tests or the more accessible tests. To order by phone, call 888-677-1199 (people with disabilities) or 800-677-1116 (older adults).

  • CDC has expanded the use of updated (bivalent) COVID-19 vaccines for children ages 6 months through 5 years.

  • Older adults and people with disabilities face the greatest risks from COVID19 and flu. Staying up to date on vaccines is the most powerful thing we can do to protect ourselves – that means getting your updated (bivalent) COVID-19 vaccine and this year’s flu shot – and you can get them at the same time. On December 1, Acting Assistant Secretary for Aging and ACL Administrator Alison Barkoff visited Baltimore County Department of Aging’s Liberty Senior Center and their vaccine clinic to hear from older adults about why they’re getting their updated COVID-19 shots. Watch and share this video to help us get the word out.

  • Acting ACL Administrator Alison Barkoff recently joined an online discussion with Surgeon General Vivek Murthy about the power of partnerships in increasing bivalent vaccination of older adults and people with disabilities. Representatives from two ACL-funded aging and disability service providers — Walter Glomb, executive director of the Connecticut Council on Developmental Disabilities, and Bev Kidder , vice president of community programs at the Area Agency on Aging of South Central Connecticut — also participated in the discussion, sharing powerful stories of how collaboration can help older adults and people with disabilities get vaccinated.

Resources for people with COVID-related disabilities

On July 26, 2022, the White House published this comprehensive package of resources for people with disabilities, including people with COVID-related disabilities. We've created a page for these and other resources for people with COVID-related disabilities -- we'll add to it as more resources are available.
 

For Older Adults, People with Disabilities, Families, and Caregivers

  • Vaccine info
  • Staying safe
  • Your rights

Click here to learn more

Find the latest vaccine-related resources

Find resources on "Long COVID"

For the Aging and Disability Networks

  • ACL Program Guidance
  • Promising Practices: Innovative approaches that may work in your community
  • Guidance from other federal programs

Find more resources here

Find resources on promoting vaccinations

Ensuring Equity and Inclusion

Resources for

  • State and local COVID-19 response planners
  • Healthcare professionals
  • Educators
  • Businesses
  • others who need to understand the needs and issues of older adults and people with disabilities

Click here to find more helpful tips


National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness

The National Strategy for the COVID-19 Response and Pandemic Preparedness provides detailed information about the seven goals of Biden Administration's coordinated pandemic response. The 198-page strategy document begins with an overview of the goals, followed by details on a variety of topics, many of which intersect the core missions of the aging and disability networks. Among the topics covered are home and community based services, vaccination communication, impact on at-risk groups, equitable access to PPE, and community-based, multi-sector efforts to align health and social interventions. The strategy reflects the White House's priorities for addressing the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Follow your state's guidance

Decisions about community measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, as well as vaccine prioritization and distribution, will be made by local and state officials, The links in this section will connect you to some state resources.

Links to state resources

Last modified on 03/15/2023


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