The Biden administration is gearing up to reopen orders for free at-home COVID-19 tests on September 25th. Additionally, they are planning to invest more money into domestic manufacturing of the test kits. This move comes as the administration aims to combat the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and ensure accessibility to testing for all Americans.
Starting September 25th, each household will be able to request four free tests through the government’s COVIDTests.gov portal. The tests will be shipped through the U.S. Postal Service starting October 2nd, which means they will not be impacted by a potential government shutdown if a funding bill is not passed by the end of the month.
Dawn O’Connell, head of the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, which oversees the federal stockpile of tests, highlighted the importance of making tests readily available to the public. The government had previously offered free test kits last winter but halted shipments in May to conserve supplies. However, O’Connell emphasized that other free testing options have remained accessible through programs like the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Increasing Community Access to Testing program at retail drug stores.
The four at-home tests that will be shipped are antigen tests, which are generally cheaper and easier to use compared to other at-home molecular or lab-based options. However, they do have a higher chance of yielding false negative results. To mitigate this, the Food and Drug Administration advises individuals who have been exposed to the virus or are feeling sick to test again every 48 hours if they receive an initial negative result.
Furthermore, the Biden administration is allocating millions of dollars to continue producing COVID-19 tests in the U.S. They have awarded $600 million to a dozen manufacturers, which will produce approximately 200 million new over-the-counter tests. This plan ensures that manufacturers remain prepared to meet any future surges in demand and prevent shortages.
The largest award of $167 million goes to iHealth, a California-based test supplier who also played a crucial role in the distribution of free tests during the last wave of the pandemic. The administration has noted that negotiations and awards were based on the capacity and willingness of manufacturers to maintain production.
With these measures, the Biden administration aims to provide accessible testing options to Americans and support the ongoing fight against COVID-19. By resuming the distribution of free at-home tests and investing in domestic production, they are addressing concerns about testing availability and ensuring the public’s safety during the pandemic.