Individuals can as soon as once more order free at-home COVID-19 assessments from the federal authorities beginning Thursday forward of the upcoming respiratory virus season.
That is the third 12 months in a row the Biden-Harris administration has allowed Individuals to order over-the-counter assessments at no cost.
Anybody desirous to order assessments can achieve this at COVID.gov/assessments. 4 assessments will likely be shipped free by USPS, beginning Sep. 30.
The U.S. Division of Well being and Human Companies (HHS) first made the announcement final month that the free COVID assessments program was restarting.
“As households begin to transfer indoors this fall and start spending time with their family members, each very outdated and really younger, they’ll as soon as once more have the chance to order as much as 4 new COVID-19 assessments freed from cost and have them despatched on to their properties,” Daybreak O’Connell, assistant secretary for preparedness and response at HHS, mentioned throughout a media briefing on the time. “These assessments will assist hold households and their family members secure this fall and winter season.”
At-House COVID-19 Take a look at kits are displayed at a drug retailer in Buffalo Grove, Unwell., Aug. 26, 2024.
Nam Y. Huh/AP
She added that the assessments will be capable to detect an infection from at present circulating variants.
At present, KP.3.1.1, an offshoot of the omicron variant, is the dominant variant within the U.S., accounting for an estimated 52.7% of circumstances, in response to the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention (CDC).
Throughout the identical media briefing, CDC director Dr. Mandy Cohen mentioned immunity from vaccination and former COVID an infection have helped restrict the burden of COVID on the well being care system.
“I do wish to acknowledge that we proceed to see quite a lot of COVID-19 exercise throughout the nation proper now in assessments getting back from labs,” Cohen mentioned, including, “Circulating COVID illness isn’t translating into related will increase in emergency room visits and hospitalizations or deaths.”
