On Wednesday, Sept. 20, the Biden administration announced that it is giving away more free at-home COVID test kits. Beginning Monday, Sept. 25, Americans can go to covidtest.gov and order up to four tests per household.
Free testing kits were made available through the site in January 2022, but the government ended that program in June 2023 to conserve testing supplies. These supplies have become more difficult for the average American to get after the U.S. government ended the public health emergency in May 2023.
The mail-order restart comes just in time for the fall and winter season when the virus is more likely to spread at an increased rate. COVID-19 cases have gradually increased in recent weeks, although significantly less than prior fall seasons. COVID-related deaths remain near all-time lows, according to the latest CDC data.
The Biden administration said it will pay $600 million to 12 different manufacturing sites in the hope of growing the nation’s stockpile by 200 million test kits.
