Free COVID-19 Tests Once Again Available by Mail Nationwide
Free COVID-19 home tests are once again available to households around the country beginning on Monday, September 25, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).
Each household can order four tests by submitting a request form at COVIDTests.gov. The tests are authorized to detect currently circulating COVID-19 variants and are intended to be used through the end of 2023, according to the HHS.
The government-run website has been on and off due to political fights over COVID-19 funding, and hasn’t been active since June, according to an ABC News report.
The fall relaunch of COVIDTests.gov is strategic, according to health officials.
“We want [people] to be able to use those tests during this viral season — fall-winter respiratory viral season,” said Xavier Becerra, Department of Health and Human Services secretary, who made the announcement at a CVS in Washington, DC, while getting his updated COVID-19 and flu shot, per the ABC report.
Why Do Health Experts Still Recommend COVID-19 Testing?
When used correctly, at-home COVID testing can be impactful, according to the American Medical Association.
Situations in which taking a COVID-19 test could be helpful include:
- When you have COVID-19 symptoms
- Five days after a known exposure to COVID-19 (even if you don’t have symptoms)
- Before large gatherings, especially large indoor gatherings
Read This Before You Throw Out Expired COVID-19 Tests
If ordering new tests inspires you to do a little housekeeping (out with the old!), don’t throw away any COVID-19 test you may already possess just because the expiration date has passed.
Most COVID-19 home test kits have received expiration extensions from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), meaning they are fine to use even after the expiration date on the box. To see if your COVID-19 test kit has an expiration extension, check out the FDA’s list of authorized at-home, over-the-counter tests.
Tests Will Be Delivered Via U.S. Postal Service
This free round of COVID-19 tests will be delivered in the mail through the U.S. Postal Service, per COVIDTests.gov. All orders within the continental United States will be sent through first class package service. Shipments to Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. Territories, and overseas military and diplomatic addresses (APO, FPO, or DPO) will be shipped through priority mail.
What if I Need a COVID-19 Test Immediately?
If you need a COVID-19 tests right away and can’t wait for a delivery of free kits, HHS suggests using the CDC’s search tool to find one of the thousands of free community-based testing sites, including pharmacies, across the country.
The government agency is also distributing free at-home tests to schools, nursing homes, community health centers, rural health clinics, food banks, and other locations to ensure widespread access.
If you have private health insurance through an employer or insurance via the Marketplace (from the Affordable Care Act, aka “Obamacare”), Medicare, or Medicaid, your insurance covers the cost of over-the-counter, at-home COVID tests — up to eight per month for each person on your plan, according to HHS and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
