Government Announces Increased Availability of Free COVID-19 Tests by Mail

As COVID-19 cases continue to rise, Americans will soon be able to receive free virus test kits sent directly to their homes. This initiative is set to commence in late September.

U.S. households can order up to four COVID-19 nasal swab tests when the federal program relaunches, as stated on the website COVIDtests.gov. While the specific date for the start of this service has not yet been confirmed by the U.S. Health and Human Services agency, it is expected to be announced soon.

The tests will be designed to detect current virus strains, making them particularly useful as families prepare to gather during the holiday season. An HHS spokesperson highlighted that “the tests will be available ahead of the holiday season when family and friends gather for celebrations.” Typically, over-the-counter COVID-19 at-home tests cost about $11.

This announcement is also timely as the government continues to encourage individuals to receive an updated COVID-19 booster ahead of the fall and winter respiratory virus season.

Recently, the FDA announced the approval of updated COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna for the 2024 fall season, with Novavax expected to receive its own approval later this year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is recommending that all Americans aged six months and older get the updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine.

Despite this push for vaccination, uptake has been decreasing. While most Americans have some level of immunity from previous infections or vaccinations, recent data indicates that less than a quarter of U.S. adults received last fall’s COVID-19 shot.

Since the onset of the pandemic, the Biden administration has distributed approximately 1.8 billion COVID-19 tests, with a significant portion being mailed directly to households. However, the current number of tests available is not clearly defined.

The extensive efforts to combat COVID-19 have involved the allocation of tens of billions of taxpayer dollars to develop tests, vaccines, and treatments. Although the number of COVID-19-related deaths and serious infections has declined significantly since the virus first spread in the U.S. in 2020, there has been a slight uptick in hospitalizations recently.

COVID-19 has taken a significant toll, with over 1 million Americans having lost their lives to the virus. As the country faces the potential challenges of the upcoming respiratory virus season, the focus remains on testing, vaccinations, and ensuring public safety.