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☆ Free Covid-19 tests are available again. Here’s how to get them
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-26 | by ( Deidre Mcphillips | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —People in the United States can now order more free Covid-19 tests from the federal government as the country heads into respiratory virus season with high levels of the coronavirus already circulating. “Reopening this popular program is the latest step by the Biden-Harris Administration to ensure that over-the-counter COVID-19 tests are available to all who want them this fall and winter,” HHS Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response Dawn O’Connell said in a statement. More information about ordering these tests is available at ACL.gov/AccessibleTests. The CDC also recommends that everyone age 6 months or older receive an updated Covid-19 vaccine this season to stay up to date. The updated Covid-19 vaccines are available now at pharmacies across the US and can be received at the same time as the annual flu vaccine.

Persons: Harris, Dawn O’Connell, “, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, Mandy Cohen, CNN’s Brenda Goodman Organizations: CNN, People, US Postal Service, US Department of Health, Human Services, Biden, Harris Administration, Preparedness, Administration, Strategic Preparedness, US Centers for Disease Control, US Food and Drug Administration, CNN Health, CDC, Moderna, Pfizer Locations: United States, COVIDTests.gov, COVID, Covid

☆ More free Covid tests will be available in late September, Biden admin says
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-23 | by ( Marlene Lenthang | Marlene Lenthang Is A Breaking News Reporter For Nbc News Digital. | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

Free Covid-19 tests will be available once again come late September, the Biden administration announced Friday. Under the program, four free Covid tests will be available by mail. “So as all of you prepare for travel and gatherings with family and the 2024 holiday season, don’t forget to go to Covidtests.gov to order your free tests,” she said. It comes as Covid rates have risen across most of the country over the summer, fueled by highly contagious new variants. Just Thursday, the Food and Drug Administration approved new Covid vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, updated to better match the circulating strains of the virus.

Persons: Biden, Dawn O’Connell, O'Connell, ” Organizations: Department of Health, Human Services, Administration, Strategic Preparedness, Covid, Centers for Disease Control, Food and Drug Administration, Pfizer, Moderna Locations: Covidtests.gov

☆ U.S. will again offer free at-home Covid tests starting in late September
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-23 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The Biden administration on Friday said it will resume offering free at-home Covid-19 tests to American households in late September as the virus has gained a stronger foothold in the U.S. this summer. Americans will soon be able to use COVIDtests.gov to request four free tests, administration officials told reporters during a briefing. The tests will be able to detect the Covid variants that are currently circulating, most of which are descendants of the highly contagious omicron variant JN.1. The government's program has provided more than 1.8 billion free over-the-counter Covid tests to Americans since it started in 2021, according to O'Connell. But the government decided to reopen the program in late September because it's when more Americans begin to travel and gather indoors with loved ones.

Persons: Biden, Dawn O'Connell, Harris, O'Connell Organizations: Health, Human Services Department, Biden, Centers for Disease Control Locations: U.S

The Biden administration is relaxing its COVID-19 protocols and resources as the winter wave of the coronavirus appears past its peak and fading. Political Cartoons on Women’s Issues View All 53 ImagesThe developments altogether highlight the dwindling bandwidth the Biden administration lends to COVID-19 as the U.S. enters its fifth year dealing with the coronavirus. Several COVID-19 factors are decreasing in the U.S. – a likely indicator that the winter wave of coronavirus is behind us. Data shows the latest increase in COVID-19 activity was significantly less dangerous than the COVID-19 surges the U.S. saw early in the pandemic. “Despite the high levels of wastewater viral activity, COVID-19 is causing severe disease less frequently than earlier in the pandemic,” the CDC said in a recent update.

Persons: Biden, Joe Biden, – Organizations: Administration, Strategic Preparedness, ., Centers for Disease Control, CDC Locations: U.S, –, COVID

☆ U.S. Offers Another Round of Free Covid Tests Through the Mail
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Sheryl Gay Stolberg | More About Sheryl Gay Stolberg | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Just in time for the holiday season, the Biden administration is offering Americans a fresh round of free at-home coronavirus tests through the Postal Service. The administration revived the dormant program in September, announcing then that households could order four free tests through a federal website, covidtests.gov. Beginning Monday, households may order an additional four tests — or eight tests if they had not ordered any in the previous round. Hospital admissions of patients with Covid ticked up this summer, but they began declining slightly in September and have held fairly steady in recent weeks. About 16,000 people were admitted to hospitals with the virus in the week that ended Nov. 11, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Persons: Biden Organizations: Postal Service, Centers for Disease Control Locations: Covid, United States

☆ U.S. to offer another round of free at-home Covid tests starting Monday
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-20 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

COVID-19 home test kits are pictured in a store window during the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic in the Manhattan borough of New York City, New York, U.S., January 19, 2022. The Biden administration on Monday said it is offering another round of free at-home Covid tests to U.S. households ahead of the holiday season, when more people gather indoors and the virus typically spreads at higher levels. Starting Monday, Americans can use COVIDtests.gov to request four free tests per household. Those who have not ordered any tests this fall can now place two orders for a total of eight tests, according to the website. The administration in September allowed people to request an initial round of four free tests through the site, resuming a federal program that temporarily shut down during a political fight over Covid funding.

Persons: Biden Locations: Manhattan, New York City , New York, U.S

WASHINGTON (AP) — Americans can order more free COVID-19 tests online for home delivery. Anyone who did not order a batch of four COVID-19 tests in September can secure up to eight of them this time around starting Monday at COVIDtests.gov. The new release of free COVID-19 nasal swab tests also comes ahead of the first winter since the pandemic started that insurers are no longer required to cover the cost of them. Political Cartoons View All 1256 ImagesThe Food and Drug Administration also approved updated COVID-19 vaccines in September in the hopes of revving up protection for Americans this winter. U.S. taxpayers have spent tens of billions of dollars to develop COVID-19 tests, vaccines and treatments in the three years since the pandemic started.

Organizations: WASHINGTON, U.S . Postal Service, Drug Administration Locations: U.S, COVIDtests.gov, COVID, United States

REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/Illustration Acquire Licensing RightsWASHINGTON, Nov 20 (Reuters) - The U.S. government on Monday will start taking orders for another round of free COVID-19 tests for delivery across the country, a Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) spokesperson said. Households that had ordered four free tests through COVIDTests.gov when they were offered again in September are eligible to order four more, while those that did not can submit two orders for a total of eight free tests. It resumed offering the tests in December 2022 as cases were surging, and opened another round of orders on Sept. 25 this year. The tests are paid for using COVID-19 supplemental funding from the American Rescue Plan, the HHS spokesperson said. HHS and the Department of Education plan to expand a program that brings tests to schools nationwide over the coming weeks.

Persons: Evelyn Hockstein, Joe Biden's, Biden, Ahmed Aboulenein, Bill Berkrot Organizations: District of Columbia, REUTERS, Rights, U.S, of Health, Human Services, Centers for Disease Control, Prevention, American, HHS, Department of, Thomson

Weekly coronavirus hospitalizations have decreased for the first time in more than two months, according to the latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The number of currently hospitalized patients with COVID-19 stayed relatively level week over week at less than 16,200, according to CDC data . Nearly 960 COVID-19 deaths were reported during the last full week of August, according to provisional data from the CDC. While the decline in hospitalizations is likely a sign that the latest coronavirus increase is past its peak, health officials are eyeing the fall and winter for potential COVID-19 waves as well. Additionally, the Biden administration announced that, starting this week, households can order four free, at-home COVID-19 tests through COVIDTests.gov .

Persons: Biden, Xavier Becerra, ” Becerra Organizations: Centers for Disease Control, CDC, Human Services Locations: hospitalizations

☆ US government restarts delivery of free COVID tests
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: 1 min

People walk next to coronavirus disease (COVID-19) testing sites in New York City, New York, U.S., December 12, 2022. REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz/File photo Acquire Licensing RightsSept 20 (Reuters) - The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) said on Wednesday it will deliver COVID-19 tests for free to households across the country. Beginning Sept. 25, households will again be able to order four free tests through COVIDTests.gov, the health agency said, adding that the tests can detect currently circulating COVID-19 variants and are intended for use through the end of 2023. HHS also announced an investment of $600 million in 12 domestic COVID-19 test manufacturers. Reporting by Mariam Sunny and Seher Dareen in Bengaluru; Editing by Shounak DasguptaOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Eduardo Munoz, Mariam Sunny, Seher, Shounak Dasgupta Organizations: REUTERS, U.S . Department of Health, Human Services, HHS, Thomson Locations: New York City , New York, U.S, Bengaluru

☆ U.S. will again offer free at-home Covid tests starting Monday
▼ + stars: | 2023-09-20 | by ( Annika Kim Constantino | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Biden administration on Wednesday said it will resume offering free at-home Covid tests to American households Monday as the virus gains a stronger foothold nationwide. Americans will soon be able to use COVIDtests.gov to request four free tests, the administration said in a release. But the Biden administration noted that the at-home tests set to be delivered will detect currently circulating Covid variants. The end of that declaration also changed how public and private insurers cover at-home tests, potentially leaving some people unable to get those tests for free through their plans. But certain local health clinics and community sites still offer at-home tests to the public at no cost.

Persons: Biden, hospitalizations, Xavier Becerra Organizations: Human Services Locations: Manhattan, New York City

Twelve manufacturers that employ hundreds of people in seven states have been awarded funding and will produce 200 million over-the-counter tests to replenish federal stockpiles for government use, in addition to producing enough tests to meet demand for tests ordered online, the department said. Federal officials said that will help guard against supply chain issues that sparked some shortages of at-home COVID tests made overseas during past surges in coronavirus cases. Political Cartoons View All 1171 ImagesThe tests are designed to detect COVID variants currently circulating, and are intended for use by the end of the year. Postal Service provided more than 755 million tests for free to homes nationwide. O’Connell said manufacturers would be able to spread out the 200 million tests they will produce for federal use over 18 months.

Persons: —, Dawn O’Connell, ” O'Connell, Grandma, O’Connell, “ We’ve, COVID’s, O'Connell, there’s, “ we’re, “, Xavier Becerra, Biden, Harris, Becerra Organizations: WASHINGTON, Biden, of Health, Human Services, United States Postal Service, Federal, HHS, U.S . Postal Service, Harris Administration Locations: U.S

☆ You can get 4 more free Covid-19 tests mailed to your door—here's how
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Mike Winters | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

You can now get four more free Covid-19 at-home test kits delivered to your door, the Biden administration announced Thursday. The Biden administration says it will fund a "limited round" of four individual rapid antigen Covid-19 tests per household that can be ordered starting Thursday. How to get your free Covid-19 test kitsYou can order online via the federally run website COVIDTests.gov. Orders will be mailed by USPS, starting the week of Dec. 19, the White House says. Other ways to get a free Covid-19 test

☆ Biden administration offers U.S. households more free COVID-19 tests for winter
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein/IllustrationWASHINGTON, Dec 15 (Reuters) - U.S. households can order four free at-home COVID-19 tests from the government website COVIDTests.gov beginning on Thursday as part of the Biden administration's efforts to tackle coronavirus infections over the winter. The administration would start shipping orders of the latest round of free tests during the week of Dec. 19. Free tests will also be made available at as many as 500 major food banks, the White House said. The Biden administration came under criticism a year ago for not ensuring enough tests were available in the midst of a surge of COVID-19 cases and deaths. The administration later procured hundreds of millions of tests to make available at no cost to the public.

☆ Biden administration makes at-home Covid tests available for free again this winter
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Spencer Kimball | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The Biden administration is making rapid Covid tests available for free again this winter through a limited round of ordering. Households can now order a total of four rapid Covid tests for free at CovidTests.gov. The Biden administration shut down the free at-home Covid test program in September because Congress did not pass additional funding to replenish the U.S. stockpile. The relaunch of the free at-home test program is part of the Biden administration's preparedness plan for Covid this winter. The federal government is also calling on hospitals to offer Covid vaccination to patients who are unvaccinated before they are discharged.

☆ Philadelphia schools will require masks as U.S. COVID cases spike
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Philadelphia is among state and local agencies around the United States rolling out mask mandates or recommendations this month to fight a new surge in virus cases, which is expected to grow as Americans travel and socialize around the winter holidays. Health experts say the U.S. healthcare system is under strain because of a "tridemic" caused by COVID-19, influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). There is debate over the mandates' efficacy, as months of stringent public health rules early in the pandemic exacerbated the public's COVID fatigue and stoked political controversy. California's public health department on Thursday told Reuters it was urging people to wear masks, but stopping short of requiring them. While the political will to impose mask mandates may have waned, covering one's face remains the best way to avoid getting sick - and infecting others.

☆ White House warns of possible Covid-19 winter surge: ‘This is not one disease in isolation’
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Mj Lee | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —For Americans across the country preparing to gather and socialize with family and friends during the end-of-year holiday season, the White House has a clear warning: Covid-19 is not over, and you had better protect yourself. “This is not one disease in isolation,” Jha said, referring to the ongoing wave of Covid-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and influenza. “The stress on hospitals and stress on health care workers is because of all the respiratory pathogens. As a part of its new push, the administration is restarting the free at-home Covid-19 test program, permitting each American household to order up to four free tests this winter from COVIDTests.gov. But it’s not like Christmas Day is the last day people socialize over winter,” Jha said.

☆ Using Tech to Make Government Better
▼ + stars: | 2021-12-21 | by ( Jennifer Pahlka | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Demonstrators in Washington, D.C. call for simplified tax filing methods, April 17. How would the administration know who wanted them? On Jan. 18, 2022, covidtests.gov went live, a day ahead of schedule. Many people, eager to resume social contact with some assurance they were not spreading the disease, had been scrambling for tests, which were in short supply in many areas of the country. Tests started showing up in people’s mailboxes within days, and less than a month after the launch of the site, almost two-thirds of all households in the U.S. had requested them.

Persons: Tasos, Joe Biden, covidtests.gov Locations: Washington ,, U.S

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