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The Biden administration recently announced that starting Monday, U.S. households will again be able to order four free COVID-19 test kits through COVIDTests.gov.
So how do you get your next batch of free tests?
Visiting the COVIDTests.gov site will redirect you to a USPS site, where you’ll fill out a form with your contact and shipping information to order your tests.
There is a limit of one order (which includes four individual rapid antigen COVID-19 tests) per residential address.
The free tests will shipped out next week, beginning Oct. 2. Previously, the free tests were typically shipped within seven to 12 days of ordering, with most tests delivered by the USPS within 48 hours of shipping.
And here’s an important note about expiration dates: Several FDA-authorized at-home OTC COVID-19 tests have had their expiration dates extended, so don’t throw out any old tests that you have just because it looks like they may be expired. Check this list to see whether your COVID test dates have been pushed back.
And keep in mind that some of the free tests being shipped by the government may show “expired” dates on the box, but the FDA has extended those dates.
If you need help placing an order for your at-home tests, then call 1-800-232-0233 (or 1-888-720-7489 for teletypewriters).
The upcoming round of ordering follows four previous rounds in which more 755 million tests were provided free of charge to households by the U.S. Postal Service and the Department of Health and Human Services, the department said in a news release.
“These tests will detect the currently circulating COVID-19 variants, are intended for use through the end of 2023, and will include clear instructions on how to verify extended expiration dates,” the release also said.
HHS also announced an investment of $600 million across 12 domestic manufacturers of COVID tests.
The U.S. national emergency to respond to the COVID pandemic ended in April as President Joe Biden signed a bipartisan congressional resolution to bring it to a close after three years, with that move coming weeks before it was set to expire alongside a separate public health emergency.
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