As fall and the respiratory virus season approaches, U.S. health officials are stepping up their game to combat COVID-19. In a proactive move to protect communities, they’re reintroducing free COVID-19 tests for households nationwide, set to be available throughout the fall and winter.
During a press briefing held by the CDC on August 23, Dawn O’Connell, the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, revealed that the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) would be reopening its free at-home COVID-19 test delivery program.
“As families start to move indoors this fall, they will once again have the opportunity to order up to four new COVID-19 tests free of charge and have them sent directly to their homes,” O’Connell stated. “Taking a quick test is a great way for all of us to keep our friends, family, and loved ones protected as we gather to celebrate the holidays.”
This at-home testing initiative, which has been carried out six times since 2021, has already distributed over 900 million tests. Although orders are currently closed, O’Connell assured the public that tests will soon be available for order through COVIDtests.gov.
In addition to free testing, Paxlovid, an antiviral treatment for COVID-19, will continue to be provided at no cost to those on Medicare and Medicaid, as well as to uninsured individuals.
The CDC hopes that COVID-19 hospitalizations this season could be same to or lower than last year. However, CDC Director Mandy Cohen emphasized the need for continued caution. “It’s important to stay vigilant and to use the tools we have to keep ourselves safe and healthy,” Mandy said.
Furthermore, the FDA announced the approval and emergency use authorization of updated mRNA COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna. These vaccines have been specifically designed to target the latest circulating variants.
“These updated vaccines meet the agency’s rigorous, scientific standards for safety, effectiveness, and manufacturing quality,” said Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, in a statement.
The FDA’s authorization comes as the CDC estimates a rise in COVID-19 infections across 27 U.S. states, with KP.3 and its offshoot, KP.3.1.1, currently being the dominant variants.
“We strongly encourage those who are eligible to consider receiving an updated COVID-19 vaccine to provide better protection against currently circulating variants,” Dr. Marks said.
