U.S. to Offer Free At-Home Covid Tests Again

The Biden administration announced on August 23, 2024, that it will restart the distribution of free at-home Covid-19 tests to American households in late September. This decision comes in response to a notable increase in Covid cases this summer, with officials indicating that the tests will be available through the website COVIDtests.gov, allowing households to request four free tests. These tests are designed to detect the currently circulating variants, primarily descendants of the highly contagious omicron variant JN.1. Since the program's inception in 2021, the government has provided over 1.8 billion free Covid tests to Americans. The relaunch of this initiative is particularly timely, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports a "high" or "very high" level of Covid detected in wastewater across nearly all U.S. states. The administration aims to bolster testing as the fall and winter months approach, periods typically associated with increased virus transmission due to indoor gatherings. The decision to resume the program aligns with the anticipated rise in travel and social interactions as the seasons change. By late September, new Covid vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna, targeting the JN.1 offshoot known as KP.2, will also be available at various locations nationwide, further enhancing public health measures. The administration emphasizes that testing remains a vital tool in managing the ongoing pandemic as infections rise once more.