Starting today, Americans can order four free COVID-19 tests from the government with the reopening of the Biden administration’s at-home testing program.
The program’s relaunch comes as COVID hospitalizations have continued creeping up, passing 20,000 for the first time since March this month, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The Department of Health and Human Services says orders can be placed at COVIDTests.gov starting Sept. 25, and that no-cost tests will be delivered for free by the United States Postal Service.
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Twelve manufacturers that employ hundreds of people in seven states have been awarded funding and will produce 200 million over-the-counter tests to replenish federal stockpiles for government use, in addition to producing enough tests to meet demand for tests ordered online, the department said. Federal officials said that will help guard against supply chain issues that sparked some shortages of at-home COVID tests made overseas during past surges in coronavirus cases.
Here’s how to order free Covid test
People can go to COVIDtests.gov to place their order of four rapid at-home tests per household, which will be delivered for free by the United States Postal Service.
Once your order ships, you should get a tracking number sent to the email you include with your order.
This is the fifth round of free at-home tests delivered by USPS. The Postal Service has delivered 755 million tests in previous rounds.
The government first launched the site in January of 2022, but stopped taking orders in June 2023 to help stockpile a federal supply of the tests, according to CNBC.
