The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that free COVID-19 home tests will be available to households across the country beginning Monday, September 25.
By submitting a request form at COVIDTests.gov, each household can order four tests. The tests are approved to detect currently circulating COVID-19 variants and are intended for use through the end of 2023, according to HHS.
The government-run website has been on and off due to political battles over COVID-19 funding and hasn’t been active since June, according to an ABC News report.
According to health officials, the fall relaunch of COVIDTests.gov is strategic.
“We want [people] to be able to use these tests during this viral season – the fall-winter respiratory virus season,” said Xavier Becerra, secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, who made the announcement at a CVS in Washington, DC, while getting his updated COVID-19 and flu shot, per the ABC report.