On Dec. 15, 2022, the Biden administration announced the COVID-19 Winter Preparedness Plan. One of the specific provisions of the plan is to provide free COVID tests to U.S. households which can be ordered at COVIDTests.gov. Free tests will be mailed to households through the Postal Service. The original free COVID tests program, which facilitated the distribution of over 600 million tests, was suspended on Sept. 2, 2022.
According to the White House Fact Sheet entitled “Biden Administration Announces COVID-19 Winter Preparedness Plan,” “The Administration is announcing that COVIDTests.gov is open for a limited round of ordering this winter. Starting today, all U.S. households can order a total of four at-home COVID-19 tests that will be mailed directly to them for free…Orders for this round of testing will begin to ship starting the week of December 19th and continue in the weeks ahead.” Households can order up to four tests. Shipments will start the week of Dec. 19, 2022.
With respect to the Free COVID Tests Program, Dr. Cameron Webb, JD, MD , a senior policy advisor for COVID-19 equity on the White House COVID-19 Response Team, stated that “COVID doesn’t get the same news that it used to get every day but there’s a lot of activity both at the federal level in states and local public health departments. People are still working and this is still a public health emergency that we’re operating under and so I think what you see with the winter COVID-19 preparedness plan is kind of us putting together all the different pieces that are newer to help complement what’s already happening in communities all over the country.” Webb continued, stating, “Testing is critical. That’s why we’re making it so that every household can get four additional tests. It’s not like it was last year where there were literally no tests anywhere to be found and so the only way you can get tested is by COVIDtest.gov. This is just a complement to all the different ways you can get tests right now so that’s one part. So detection is key.”
Dr. Michlle Morse, MD, MPH, chief medical officer and deputy commissioner of the Center for Health Equity and Community Wellness New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, discussed the free COVID tests availability in NYC specifically, stating, “You can get free at-home tests at New York City museums at the zoos, at the libraries and at many other locations across the city, and a lot of these places also offer free disposable masks for folks as well so if you go to nyc.gov/covidtest you’ll be able to find more information about where to pick up those free tests and free masks.”
People who need additional support placing an order can call 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 1-888-720-7489) to get help in English, Spanish and more than 150 other languages—8 a.m. to 8 p.m. E.T., Monday to Friday, and 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. E.T. on weekends.
People can also visit www.COVIDTests.gov. For additional resources around COVID-19, please visit www1.nyc.gov/site/coronavirus/index.page or call 311. COVID-19 testing and vaccination resources can also be accessed on the AmNews COVID-19 page: www.amsterdamnews.com/covid/