Free Covid-19 tests are available again. Here’s how to get them

Deidre McPhillips, CNN

(CNN) — People successful nan United States tin now bid much free Covid-19 tests from nan national authorities arsenic nan state heads into respiratory microorganism play pinch precocious levels of nan coronavirus already circulating.

Each family is eligible to person 4 at-home trial kits, which tin beryllium requested from COVIDTests.gov starting today. They’ll beryllium shipped for free starting adjacent week done nan US Postal Service.

This is nan program’s seventh information of distribution, which has delivered much than 900 cardinal free tests straight to US residents since it started successful nan wintertime of 2021, according to nan US Department of Health and Human Services.

The accelerated antigen tests return astir 30 minutes to springiness results. This adjacent group of tests will beryllium capable to observe presently circulating variants and tin beryllium utilized for testing successful group who person Covid-19 symptoms and those who don’t, arsenic good arsenic successful those who are up-to-date connected their Covid-19 vaccination and those who aren’t.

“Reopening this celebrated programme is nan latest measurement by nan Biden-Harris Administration to guarantee that over-the-counter COVID-19 tests are disposable to each who want them this autumn and winter,” HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dawn O’Connell said successful a statement. “Before you sojourn pinch your family and friends this vacation season, return a speedy trial and thief support them safe from COVID-19.”

The disposable tests besides see an action pinch features that make it much accessible for group pinch disabilities affecting dexterity aliases imagination to use. More accusation astir ordering these tests is disposable astatine ACL.gov/AccessibleTests.

“COVID-19 testing tin thief you cognize if you person COVID-19 truthful you tin determine what to do next, for illustration getting curen to trim your consequence of terrible unwellness and taking steps to little your chances of spreading nan microorganism to others,” according to nan HHS Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response.

To trim nan dispersed of Covid-19, nan US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that group who trial affirmative enactment location and distant from others until they are fever-free for astatine slightest 24 hours.

The US Food and Drug Administration recommends that group return aggregate accelerated tests to guarantee they do not person Covid-19: 2 antagonistic tests for those pinch symptoms and 3 for those without symptoms, performed 48 hours apart.

The CDC besides recommends that everyone property 6 months aliases older person an updated Covid-19 vaccine this play to enactment up to date.

This year, location are aggregate options available; mRNA vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer were updated to target KP.2, 1 of nan alleged FLiRT variants that person been ascendant successful nan US since May. Those vaccines are for group 6 months and older. A much accepted macromolecule vaccine from Novavax is besides available, but it targets JN.1, a version that is still circulating but little prominently than a fewer months ago. The Novavax vaccine is approved only for those ages 12 and up.

The updated Covid-19 vaccines are disposable now astatine pharmacies crossed nan US and tin beryllium received astatine nan aforesaid clip arsenic nan yearly flu vaccine.

“The champion scheme going into this wintertime is for everyone to stay vigilant, to usage nan devices we have: vaccines, testing, curen against nan illnesses responsible for nan mostly of autumn and wintertime deaths and hospitalizations,” CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen said past week.