Where and when to get free COVID tests

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans can order COVID-19 again Testswithout charge, sent straight home.

The US government reopened the program on Thursday, allowing any household to order up to four at-home COVID nasal swab kits through the covidtests.gov website. Shipping of tests via the United States Postal Service will begin as early as next week.

“Before you visit your family and friends this holiday season, take a rapid test and help protect them from COVID-19,” Health and Human Services Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dawn O’Connell said in a statement .

Why are tests being offered now?

The site was reopened in conjunction with health authorities following a summer COVID-19 virus surge and heading into the fall and winter respiratory virus seasons urge Americans are receiving an updated COVID-19 vaccine and their annual flu shot.

US regulators approved an updated COVID-19 vaccine designed to combat the latest strains of the virus and hopefully the coming winter strains as well. However, vaccine acceptance is declining. Most Americans have some immunity from previous infections or vaccinations, but fewer than a quarter of adults in the U.S. got vaccinated against COVID-19 last fall.

The swab allows people to detect current virus strains before the fall and winter respiratory virus seasons and before the holidays. Over-the-counter at-home COVID-19 tests typically cost around $11. As of last year. Insurers are no longer obliged to cover the costs of the tests.

I have old tests that are past their expiration date. Can I still use them?

If you already have COVID-19 tests at home, check the expiration date on the box. Many tests have an extended expiry date from the date stated on the packaging. You can check this with the Food and Drug Administration website to see if this occurs with any of your remaining at-home tests.

Are these tests actually free?

There is no cost to households requesting the tests, but U.S. taxpayers have already paid a significant amount for the testing program.

Since the spread of COVID-19 began in 2020, the U.S. government has poured billions of dollars into developing and purchasing COVID-19 tests and vaccines. The Biden administration has distributed 1.8 billion COVID-19 tests, half of which were distributed to households by mail. It is unclear how many tests remain available to the government.