As autumn approaches, Americans will once again have the opportunity to request complimentary COVID-19 tests from the federal government. This announcement was made on Monday by the U.S. Department of Health’s Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR).
While a precise date for the availability of these tests has not been disclosed, the agency indicated that they would be “coming soon” toward the “end of September.”
In accordance with previous protocols, each household in the U.S. is permitted to order four free COVID tests. gov or the U.S. Postal Service’s website. Since its launch in January 2022, this initiative has successfully distributed over 900 million tests nationwide.
These free tests are designed to detect all current COVID variants and will remain usable until the end of 2024—an essential resource as the virus continues to circulate at elevated levels throughout the United States, as reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Adding to the urgency of this initiative is the emergence of a new COVID variant named XEC, which is currently spreading in Europe and has been identified in the U.S. While it has not yet appeared in the CDC’s variant surveillance data, experts anticipate that XEC may have a higher transmission rate and could potentially become the dominant strain in the U.S. in the forthcoming months.
How to Request Your Free COVID Tests
Starting at the end of September, each U.S. household will have the opportunity to order four free COVID tests. gov. Although the ordering system is temporarily closed, the ASPR assures that it will reopen shortly.
Households can also obtain tests by visiting the USPS website, which will resume orders for “standard and more accessible COVID-19 tests…while supplies last” later this month.
To request tests, individuals will need to provide a valid U.S. address. Packages are typically dispatched within seven to twelve days, according to USPS guidelines.
Additionally, individuals may reach out to HRSA health centers, Test to Treat sites, or ICATT locations for further information on eligibility for low- or no-cost COVID tests beyond those offered through the free program.
Utilizing Your Free COVID Tests
The at-home COVID tests provided by the U.S. government are FDA-authorized diagnostic tools that generally yield results in 30 minutes or less. These tests, often referred to as antigen or rapid tests, may come with various components, requiring users to swab one or both nostrils. The CDC strongly encourages users to read the package inserts carefully and adhere closely to the instructions.
While positive results from these tests are deemed accurate and trustworthy, a negative result cannot entirely exclude the possibility of infection. In such cases, the CDC recommends conducting two to three additional antigen tests to conclusively rule out COVID infection.
Reporting your test outcomes—whether positive or negative—plays a crucial role in monitoring the virus’s spread across the nation. The ASPR encourages all individuals to share their test results with public health agencies at MakeMyTestCount.org.
