The Department of Health and Human Services is once again offering every American household up to four free COVID-19 tests shipped to their homes, the agency announced Thursday.
The at-home rapid antigen tests on offer are able to detect the latest variants of COVID-19 and will last until at least the end of 2024, the HHS Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response posted on X.
The new tests will ship out starting next week. Some tests will have best-by dates that appear expired, but many tests have an extended expiration date that can be looked up on the Food and Drug Administration website, officials said.
Officials recommend using the tests before the fall and winter holidays.
“Before you visit with your family and friends this holiday season, take a quick test and help keep them safe from COVID-19,” said Dawn O’Connell, HHS assistant secretary for preparedness and response, according to The Associated Press.
The free COVID-19 test program has had multiple stops and starts.
After the program was first launched in January 2022, it was first expanded before being stopped in September 2022, according to Axios. It was revived in December 2022 before being shut down again in May 2023 and brought back in September 2023, with the most recent shuttering occurring this past March.
For more information, visit The Washington Times COVID-19 resource page.
• Brad Matthews can be reached at bmatthews@washingtontimes.com.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.