Here’s how to get free COVID tests through the mail

All Americans can order free COVID-19 tests by mail starting Thursday, the Biden administration announced.

Households will be able to order four free tests through the Covidtests.gov website. The tests will be mailed directly to people’s homes, and orders will begin shipping Monday.

The move comes ahead of the typical fall and winter respiratory virus season, though a summer surge of infections has begun to fade.

This is the seventh time over the past three years the administration has made free tests available for all Americans. Health insurers no longer cover over-the-counter tests, which can cost about $10 or $11 per test at most pharmacies.

The tests can detect the currently circulating COVID-19 variants and include clear instructions on how to verify the extended expiration dates. Consumers are also encouraged to check the Food and Drug Administration’s website to find the updated expiration information.

Dawn O’Connell, the assistant secretary for preparedness and response at the Department of Health and Human Services, in a statement encouraged people to use the tests ahead of any holiday travel and family gathering.

The announcement comes as the administration is trying to encourage people to get the updated COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends everyone 6 months and older get an updated COVID-19 vaccine and the updated flu vaccine.

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