This system that despatched People free at-home COVID-19 checks is now not accepting orders 5 years after the pandemic started.
“The free at-home COVID-19 check distribution program will not be at the moment accepting orders,” the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response web site stated. “Exams ordered earlier than 8:00 PM EDT, Sunday, March 9, 2025, can be shipped,” it continued.
The US Postal Service, which shipped the checks at no cost, additionally indicated that this system was suspended on its web site.
“This program will not be at the moment accepting orders at no cost at-home COVID-19 checks,” it stated. “Check ordering by way of this program has been suspended efficient March 9, 2025.”
The Trump administration, which has largely sought to chop authorities spending, beforehand deliberate to cease this system in February earlier than reversing course in an eleventh-hour choice, The Washington Post reported.
“With COVID-19 infections lowering after a winter peak, we’re within the course of of normal discussions on closing this spherical of the COVID-19 check ordering program. At this level, this system continues to be open, and we’ll share further updates as wanted,” Division of Well being and Human Providers spokesperson Andrew Nixon stated final month, based on the Put up.
This system has stopped and restarted on a number of events. Most lately, it was paused in March 2024 earlier than it started once more in September 2024.
Nonetheless, this time could also be totally different, because the administration had additionally been weighing the disposal of greater than 160 million check kits to save lots of prices, based on the Put up. At this level, it’s unclear what is going to occur with the remaining kits.
The suspension of the free program, which allowed households to order 4 check kits without charge, comes roughly three years after its start in January 2022. Based on TODAY.com, greater than 900 million free COVID checks have been despatched out throughout the nation.
The federal authorities as soon as required insurers to cowl the price of COVID checks for sufferers, however that has not been the case because the COVID-19 public well being emergency expired in May 2023. Some plans nonetheless permit sufferers to get free COVID checks coated by insurance coverage. In any other case, the checks are nonetheless accessible for buy over-the-counter.
Go Advert-Free — And Shield The Free Press
Already contributed? Log in to hide these messages.
The expiration dates of some COVID check kits have been prolonged, based on the Federal Drug Administration. As such, households with expired COVID check kits ought to verify the FDA website to see if the listed expiration date has been prolonged earlier than disposing of any check kits.
ASPR didn’t instantly reply to HuffPost’s request for remark.
