Starting this month, Americans will be able to order free COVID-19 test kits that will be mailed to their homes.
U.S. households will be able to order as many as four nasal swab tests at COVIDTests.gov when the federal program reopens. The U.S. Health and Human Services agency overseeing the program has not yet given an exact date when ordering can begin.
An agency spokesperson has said the tests will detect current virus strains and can be ordered ahead of the holiday season, when families and friends gather for celebrations.
U.S. regulators last month approved an updated COVID-19 vaccine that is designed to combat the recent virus strains and, hopefully, forthcoming winter ones, as well. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention already has recommended this fall’s shot for everyone age 6 months and older.
While most Americans have some degree of immunity from prior infections or vaccinations or both, that protection wanes. Last fall’s shots targeted a different part of the coronavirus family tree, a strain that’s no longer circulating.
According to the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, all U.S. households will be eligible to order four free COVID-19 tests at COVIDTests.gov beginning in late September. Over-the-counter test kits typically retail for approximately $24 for a two-pack.
This announcement coincides with confirmation from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention that a highly transmissible new variant, named XEC, has been detected in nearly two dozen states, including California, according to preliminary data from the global virus database GISAID.
The CDC expects the virus to surge again during the winter, with a peak expected around mid-January.
Although national COVID-19 trends remain elevated, they have significantly declined since the summer peak. As of the week ending Sept. 7, there were about 2.5 COVID-related hospitalizations per 100,000 residents and approximately 530 COVID-related weekly deaths, compared to about 4.8 hospitalizations per 100,000 and 1,000 deaths during the same period in the previous month.
The CDC’s updated testing guidance now recommends that only individuals at higher risk for severe outcomes use at-home tests like those distributed through COVIDTests.gov, noting that these tests have become less reliable at detecting newer, more immune-evasive strains until after the peak of infectiousness due to an increase in false-negative results.
“Even when testing occurs, COVID-19 is often not identified early in illness,” the report said. “The overall sensitivity of COVID-19 antigen tests is relatively low and even lower in individuals with only mild symptoms.”
Nevertheless, ASPR assured that the tests being distributed remain effective through the end of the year.
The updated fall vaccines are expected to be effective against the XEC variant, given that it is an offshoot of currently circulating SARS-CoV-2 strains. The new Pfizer and Moderna shots are formulated to target the KP.2 strain, while the Novavax vaccine targets the JN.1 strain.
The FDA stated last week that it is “highly confident” in the effectiveness of this season’s updated vaccines.
“At this time, we anticipate that COVID-19 treatments and vaccines will continue to work against all circulating variants. CDC will continue to monitor the effectiveness of treatment and vaccines against circulating variants,” the CDC affirmed.
Every home in the U.S. will be eligible to order four at-home tests beginning at the end of September. No credit card information is required. The kits and shipping are free. Here’s how to place your order.
By Agencies
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