Federal government to relaunch free COVID tests program
Americans would be able to order the tests at CovidTests.Gov in coming weeks. The federal government program used for the last two winters to send free COVID tests to Americans' homes will get up-and-running once again in the coming weeks, Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra said Wednesday. Becerra made the announcement speaking to reporters at a CVS drugstore in Washington, D.C., while getting his updated COVID shot and flu shot. CovidTests.Gov has been an on-and-off presence since the winter of 2022, when the omicron variant was ripping across the country. COVID-19 rapid antigen tests are seen in this illustration photo, Jan. 31, 2023. Jakub Porzycki/NurPhoto via Getty Images, FILE MORE: Weekly COVID hospitalizations reach 20,000 for 1st time since March but new vaccine could help: Experts At the time, President Joe Biden pledged to give out 1 billion free rapid tests. But the site was temporarily shut down that fall as a political fight dragged on over COVID fundi...