Americans can once again order free at-home COVID-19 tests from the federal government as the Biden administration seeks to prepare for the upcoming respiratory virus season. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that starting Thursday, families can order up to four free tests through the website COVIDTests.gov, with shipments handled by the U.S. Postal Service. This marks the third consecutive year the federal government has offered free testing to the public as a preventative measure during flu and respiratory virus season.
HHS confirmed that the program was relaunched to help Americans detect and prevent the spread of COVID-19 as cases of respiratory illnesses typically surge during the fall and winter months. Dawn O'Connell, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response at HHS, explained the rationale for the program: "As families start to move indoors this fall and begin spending time with their loved ones, both very old and very young, they will once again have the opportunity to order up to four new COVID-19 tests free of charge and have them sent directly to their homes."
The tests will be particularly crucial as a new COVID-19 variant, KP.3.1.1-an offshoot of the Omicron variant-has emerged as the dominant strain in the U.S., accounting for more than half of new infections, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). O'Connell also noted that the tests are designed to detect infections caused by currently circulating variants.
The distribution of free at-home tests comes at a time when health officials are urging Americans to prepare for a "tripledemic," with COVID-19, flu, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) expected to spike this winter. According to the CDC, while COVID-19 cases have recently declined following a summer peak, health experts anticipate an uptick in cases as the colder months approach. CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen emphasized that, despite the circulation of COVID-19 across the country, the rates of emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and deaths have not followed suit. Cohen credits increased immunity from vaccinations and prior infections for helping to mitigate the virus's impact on the healthcare system.
The decision to offer free tests also follows the expiration of the CDC's Bridge Access Program, which had provided uninsured and underinsured individuals with access to free COVID-19 vaccines. As COVID-19 cases began to rise in early autumn, the renewed test distribution aims to maintain public access to preventive tools like testing.
Ordering the tests is straightforward: Americans can visit COVIDTests.gov to input their name and mailing address. Those interested can opt to provide an email address to receive shipping notifications. Once ordered, the tests are shipped at no cost through USPS, and no identification or proof of residency is required.
For individuals who need at-home tests immediately or prefer not to wait for shipment, over-the-counter tests remain available for purchase at pharmacies and local retailers. Additionally, some low-cost or no-cost testing options are available for uninsured individuals at federally funded health centers.
Although at-home COVID-19 tests provide quick results-usually within 30 minutes-HHS has advised that negative results may not always rule out infection. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends performing multiple antigen tests over a period of 48 hours for those experiencing symptoms or potentially exposed to the virus to improve the accuracy of results.
