Here is exactly how to send 4 free covid tests to your home
The federal government has just once again restored a popular pandemic program.
We have gone a long way since 2020, but that does not mean Covid left completely. In fact, officials are concerned about the way things can happen this fall and this winter - because the virus has always increased during the coldest months in recent years. As cases have already started to go up, the federal government revives one of its most popular pandemic programs to help alleviate any spread. Read the rest to find out exactly how you can now send four free cavid tests to your home.
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Officials suspended the free cavid test program earlier this year.
In the midst of the overvoltage of deadly omicron variant, the Biden administration Launched a program To provide free home-style tests for people in the United States in January 2022. The government initially authorized people to order four kits per household before expanding the program in March and May. Then, in September 2022, the The program was suspended For the first time, Axios reported.
He was quickly relaunched in December 2022 before being suspended again last summer. The White House had previously announced that people in the United States will be able To order free Home Covid tests until the end of May, when the US Health and Social Services (HHS) Public Health Urgery (PHE) for COVID was set to expire .
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But the program has just been relaunched.
But now, the Biden administration once again restarts its free home covid test program. In a September 20 Press release , HHS has announced that the federal government is investing $ 600 million in funding to produce new tests at home to deliver free Kits to Households in the United States Increase Positive cocovious tests For the week of September 10. AE0FCC31AE342FD3A1346EBB1F342FCB
"Whether people end up or not, we know that the virus is there, we know it circulates. We know that if the past is a prologue, it will circulate to a higher degree and will spread, and the cases will increase to fall and winter seasons, " Dawn O'Connell , assistant secretary for the preparation and response to HHS, said to the AP . "Anticipating that it would be true again, or something similar, we want to make sure that the American people have these tools."
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You can now order new tests to send to your home.
Since September 25, the federal government has allowed people to submit requests for new free tests via its COVIDTESTS.GOV website. "Each American household can again place an order to receive four other free COVI-19 quick tests provided directly at their home," said a website banner. You can also call 1-800-232-0233 (TTy 1-888-720-17489) if you need help by placing an order for your home tests.
"These tests will detect COVVI-19 variants in circulation currently in circulation," said HHS in its press release. According to the AP. O'Connell also told the News Outlet that the COVIDTESTS.GOV website will remain open to receive orders throughout the holidays and added that "reserve the right to keep it open even longer if we start to see an increase in cases. "
"If there is a request for these tests, we want to make sure that they are made available to the American people free of charge in this way," said O'Connell. "But, at this point, our goal is to spend the holidays and make sure that people can take a test if they will see grandmother for Thanksgiving."
But do not throw old tests before returning their expiration dates.
Since the very beginning of the free covid test program at home, the federal government has already carried out more than 755 million free tests to households in the United States, HHS said that tests sent to its new version are "intended to be Used through the end of 2023, and will include clear instructions on how to check the prolonged expiration dates. "
But if you still have unused tests from the previous towers, you can still use them, even if the box indicates that it is expired. In the new banner on Covidtesst.gov, managers advise People to check The Food and Drug Administration of the United States (FDA) website before "launching" expired "tests. This is because many cocvid test kits have in fact had their prolonged shelf life, according to the FDA.
"Once the test manufacturer has more stability test results, such as 12 or 18 months, the test manufacturer can contact the FDA to request that the FDA authorize a longer shelf life , "The agency explains." When a longer shelf life is authorized, the expiration dates will be extended and the test manufacturer can send advice to customers to provide the new authorized expiration dates, so that customers know how long they can use The tests they already have. If you have not purchased your COVVI-19 diagnostic test at home directly from the test manufacturer, you cannot receive such an opinion. ""
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