Covid-19 home test kits are featured in a captivating display during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic in New York City’s Manhattan borough. The image, taken on January 19, 2022, depicts the impact and relevance of these tests in the current crisis.
Image Credit: Carlo Allegri | Reuters
In response to the escalating presence of Covid-19 across the country, the Biden administration has announced the resumption of its initiative to distribute free at-home Covid tests to American households starting on Monday.
Americans will soon have the opportunity to request four free tests through the website COVIDtests.gov, according to the administration’s recent announcement.
In January 2022, the government had launched a program to offer free test kits through the same website, but it had to halt taking orders on June 1 of this year in order to conserve supplies.
Given the anticipated higher levels of Covid transmission during the fall and winter seasons, the government has decided to relaunch the program. It is worth noting that the at-home tests provided will also detect the currently circulating variants of the virus. The kits have a designated timeframe for usage until the end of 2023, and the administration will provide instructions on how to verify if a test’s expiration date has been extended.
In the face of the increasing Covid infections, testing remains an essential tool for protection against the virus. However, lab PCR tests, which are the standard method for detecting Covid, have become more expensive and less accessible since the U.S. government ended the public health emergency in May.
This change has also affected the coverage of at-home tests by public and private insurers, potentially leaving some individuals unable to access these tests for free through their plans. Nonetheless, certain local health clinics and community sites continue to provide free at-home tests to the public.
Furthermore, the Biden administration has announced an investment of $600 million to enhance the manufacturing capacity of 12 Covid test manufacturers across the country. This initiative is expected to secure approximately 200 million tests from these companies.
Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra stated, “These critical investments will strengthen our nation’s production levels of domestic at-home COVID-19 rapid tests and help mitigate the spread of the virus.”
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