Here’s how to get your rapid tests ASAP.
Another batch of free Covid-19 tests could be all yours — if you take advantage of the White House’s latest, no-cost offer. On Thursday, the Biden administration officially restarted its rapid testing program as Americans prepare to gather with their loved ones during the end-of-holiday season.
This rollout is part of Biden’s “Covid-19 winter preparedness plan,” aimed at staying ahead of what’s expected to be a spike in cases this winter. In an interview with CNN, White House Covid-19 response coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha stressed that the current trifecta of respiratory illness — Covid, flu and RSV — is already putting a strain on hospitals across the country.
“This is not one disease in isolation,” Jha told the network. “The stress on hospitals and stress on health care workers is because of all the respiratory pathogens, so we are very aware that this increase that we’re seeing in Covid is in that context of one of the worst flu seasons in a decade, and RSV that was quite bad.”
Wondering how you can get your free Covid tests and protect yourself as the temperatures continue to drop? We have info on all that and the updated booster shot, below.
How to get your free Covid tests
Starting Thursday, you can order your four free at-home tests on COVIDtests.gov, and they’ll be mailed straight to your home through the U.S. Postal Service. But you might want to act quick, because there’s limited supply and first shipments are expected to be sent out next week.
If you don’t want to wait for your tests to come by mail, you can also pick them up at community health centers, food banks, and schools, which are included as part of the rollout. Those on Medicare and health insurance can still get as many as eight free tests per month.
Rising Covid cases
The Biden administration’s latest rollout comes amid a concerning new trend: Covid cases have spiked roughly 55 percent over the last two weeks, while hospitalizations have risen 20 percent. Deaths are up, too — nearly 3,000 deaths were reported last week alone, mostly concentrated in those 65 and older.
Some parts of the country are also being hit harder than others: California, Texas, Florida, and New York are among the states seeing the biggest upticks. Due to these high levels, the Centers for Disease Control is recommending that people in some of these areas, including Los Angeles and New York City, consider masking up indoors yet again.
“One need not wait on CDC action in order to put a mask on,” said CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky.
What else you can do
Public health officials are also urging everyone who’s eligible to get their flu and latest Covid booster shoots. (There’s unfortunately no vaccine for RSV — yet.)
Though the updated Covid booster was just introduced in September, a pair of studies from the CDC found that the updated booster shot is already proving very effective in warding off the virus. The first study estimated that the reformulated boosters lowered hospitalizations by 45 percent compared with people who had received their last shot in the last 11 months. The second study, which focused on older Americans, found that it reduced the risk of serious infections by 73 percent compared with those who had received at least two doses of the original vaccines.
Despite these promising findings, public enthusiasm remains low. According to the latest CDC data, only 35.7 percent of adults 65 and older have received the booster (and among all adults, the percentage falls to 16 percent). The good news, however, is that more than 50 percent of Americans say they plan to get the updated bivalent booster in the next year, according to a survey by the polling company Morning Consult. But if you’re planning to visit with family and friends this holiday season, you’d do well to make sure you’re covered beforehand.
