Federal government to relaunch free COVID tests program

The federal government program used for the remaining two winters to ship free COVID tests to Americans’ houses gets up-and-running as soon as once more within the coming weeks, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra stated Wednesday.

Becerra made the announcement talking to journalists at a CVS drugstore in Washington, D.C., whilst getting his up to date COVID shot and flu shot.

CovidTests.Gov has been an on-and-off presence because the iciness of 2022, when the omicron variant used to be ripping around the nation.

At the time, President Joe Biden pledged to give out 1 billion free speedy tests.

But the web site used to be quickly close down that fall as a political combat dragged on over COVID investment. Officials stated that they had to preserve tests in case they did not get more cash — which they did not.

Still, the web site relaunched once more in December as circumstances started to climb once more, then close down this previous June.

The government will now relaunch CovidTests.Gov once more in time for any other iciness surge.

“We will make available some of those tests that we have in our stockpile, so that Americans can use them. We want them to be able to use those tests during this viral season — fall, winter respiratory viral season,” Becerra stated. “So we’ll try to make those tests available. Stay tuned for the information.”

COVID-19 hospitalizations are proceeding to climb within the United States, in accordance to information from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

For the week finishing Sept. 9, hospitalizations larger 7.7% from 19,068 to 20,538 weekly hospitalizations.

COVID tests are nonetheless to be had free of price or for compensation underneath maximum insurance coverage and at neighborhood well being facilities.

ABC News’ Mary Kekatos contributed to this file.