The Biden administration’s at-home COVID-19 testing program has reopened, allowing Americans to order four free tests from the government. This development is significant as COVID-19 hospitalizations have been on the rise, surpassing 20,000 for the first time since March, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
During the week of September 10-16, the CDC’s COVID data tracker revealed that 2.7% of all deaths in the U.S. were attributed to COVID-19, marking a 12.5% increase from the previous week. This resurgence in cases comes after the public health emergency expired in May, leading many insurers to cease covering the cost of COVID tests. Consequently, the government’s testing program had been unavailable since June 1.
The Biden administration, in partnership with USPS, has previously distributed over 755 million at-home tests. To address the current situation, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has announced the reopening of the COVID test program and a $600 million investment in 12 domestic COVID-19 test manufacturers.
Starting on September 25, households can order four free tests through COVIDTests.gov, a platform directing users to the U.S. Postal Service website. These tests are provided at no cost and come with free shipping, scheduled to begin the week of October 2. For those unable to order online, a government hotline (1-800-232-0233 or TTY 1-888-720-7489) is available.
This at-home COVID test program originally launched in January 2022, offering four free tests per residential address, regardless of household size. It underwent expansions in March and May before being suspended in September. It was briefly revived in December before closing down again on May 31.
It’s worth noting that the tests being mailed out will detect the current COVID-19 variants and are intended for use through the end of 2023. Instructions on verifying extended test expiration dates will be included with the tests. Additionally, the Food & Drug Administration has extended the expiration dates for several over-the-counter COVID tests, granting extra months for their use. The FDA website provides a comprehensive list of approved COVID-19 tests and their revised expiration dates.
