Americans can again order four free COVID-19 tests online
By means ofAMANDA SEITZ Associated Press
November 20, 2023, 7:47 am
FILE – Home tests for COVID-19 antigen showing a positive result are photographed in New York, April 5, 2023. Americans can again order four free COVID-19 tests and the United States Postal Service will deliver the tests to your mailbox. Anyone who did not order a batch of COVID-19 tests in September can secure up to eight of the tests this time. (AP Photo/Patrick Sison, File)
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Americans can order more free COVID-19 tests online for home delivery.
The U.S. government is offering to send another round of four at-home virus tests ahead of the typical surge in cases during the winter holidays.
Anyone who didn’t order a batch of four COVID-19 tests in September can secure up to eight this time starting Monday at COVIDtests.gov. The US Postal Service delivers them for free.
The government is sending out the coronavirus tests as the flu season gets underway and a spike in RSV cases has been reported in some places in the country. Hospitalizations due to COVID-19, which has killed more than 1 million people in the United States, rose this fall but have remained stable in recent weeks. Due to immunity from previous vaccinations and infections, the number of cases has remained lower than in other years.
The new release of free COVID-19 nasal swab tests also comes ahead of the first winter since the start of the pandemic in which insurers are no longer required to cover their costs. On average, at-home tests now cost $11 out of pocket, according to an analysis by the nonprofit health research firm KFF.
The Food and Drug Administration also approved updated COVID-19 vaccines in September in hopes of improving protection for Americans this winter. The shots target an omicron descendant called XBB.1.5, replacing older vaccines that targeted the original coronavirus strain and a much earlier omicron version. Shots are recommended for anyone 6 months or older, but absorption is slow.
American taxpayers have spent tens of billions of dollars developing COVID-19 tests, vaccines and treatments in the three years since the pandemic began.
