Free Covid-19 tests are available again. Here's how to get them

CNN
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As respiratory virus season begins in the United States and high levels of coronavirus are already circulating, people can now order more free Covid-19 tests from the government.

Each household is eligible for four home test kits, which can be requested starting today at COVIDTests.gov and will be shipped free of charge through the U.S. Postal Service starting next week.

This is the seventh round of distribution of the program, which has delivered more than 900 million free tests directly to U.S. citizens since its launch in winter 2021, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The results of the rapid antigen tests are available in about 30 minutes. This next series of tests will be able to detect currently circulating variants and can be used to test people with and without Covid-19 symptoms, as well as people with and without a current Covid-19 vaccination.

“Resuming this popular program is the latest step by the Biden-Harris administration to ensure over-the-counter COVID-19 testing is available to everyone who wants it this fall and winter,” Dawn O'Connell, HHS assistant secretary for preparedness and response, said in a statement. “Before you visit your family and friends this holiday season, get a rapid test and help protect them from COVID-19.”

Available tests include an option with features that make it easier for people with disabilities that affect dexterity or vision. For more information about ordering these tests, visit ACL.gov/AccessibleTests.

“A COVID-19 test can help you find out if you have COVID-19 so you can decide what to do next, such as getting treatment to lower your risk of severe illness and taking steps to reduce the chance of spreading the virus to others,” the HHS Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response said in a statement.

To contain the spread of Covid-19, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people who test positive stay home and away from others until they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends that people take several rapid tests to make sure they do not have Covid-19: two negative tests for people with symptoms and three for people without symptoms, 48 ​​hours apart.

The CDC also recommends that everyone ages 6 months and older receive a current Covid-19 vaccine this season to stay up to date.

This year, several options are available; mRNA vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer have been updated to ward off KP.2, one of the so-called FLiRT variants that have been prevalent in the U.S. since May. These vaccines are intended for people 6 months and older. A more traditional protein vaccine from Novavax is also available, but targets JN.1, a variant that is still circulating but less prevalent than it was a few months ago. The Novavax vaccine is only authorized for people 12 years and older.

The updated Covid-19 vaccines are now available in pharmacies across the United States and can be received at the same time as the annual flu shot.

“The best plan for this winter is for everyone to stay vigilant and use the tools we have at our disposal: vaccines, tests, treatments for the diseases that are responsible for the majority of deaths and hospitalizations this fall and winter,” CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen said last week.

CNN's Brenda Goodman contributed to this report.