As the United States grapples with a surge in COVID-19 cases, the Biden administration is reinstating its initiative to provide free COVID-19 tests to the public. Starting next week, citizens can request up to four COVID-19 tests per household at no cost, according to the announcement made by the Biden administration on Wednesday.
To facilitate easy access to these tests, the Department of Health and Human Services will reopen the website covidtests.gov on September 25. From this date, households can place orders for the tests to be conveniently delivered to their homes without incurring any charges.
A critical consideration for those availing of these tests is to ensure their viability by checking the expiration date upon arrival. With previous reports highlighting instances of tests being received near their expiration dates, individuals are urged to confirm the test's shelf life before use.
To aid in this verification process, individuals can visit the Food and Drug Administration's website to check if the expiration date on their tests has been extended. Additionally, instructions on how to verify the extended expiration dates will be included with the tests when mailed to recipients.
Self-reliant Domestic Production
This significant announcement is accompanied by a $600 million investment in 12 domestic manufacturers of COVID-19 tests, reinforcing the importance of self-reliance and domestic production.
Dawn O’Connell, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, emphasized that manufacturing COVID-19 tests within the United States strengthens the country's preparedness for the approaching fall and winter seasons. Simultaneously, it lessens dependence on other nations and contributes to creating employment opportunities for American citizens.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention strongly recommends testing for individuals displaying COVID-19 symptoms or those exposed to confirmed COVID-19 cases, within a span of five days.
Initiated in January 2022 amid the first Omicron surge, the free COVID-19 test program by the Biden administration was reactivated last winter. The website covidtests.gov will remain accessible online, catering to the public's testing needs, until the end of the year, ensuring continued support during these challenging times.
