Free at-home COVID testing program restarting as officials prepare for fall, winter season

(WASHINGTON) — The federal government will restart its free at-home COVID tests program in September as officials prepare the country for the upcoming respiratory virus season.

Dawn O’Connell, assistant secretary for preparedness and response at the Department of Health and Human Services, said Friday that this is the seventh time the Biden-Harris administration has allowed Americans to order over-the-counter tests at no charge.

It’s not clear when the website, COVID.gov/tests, will come back online. The website stopped accepting orders in early March.

“As families start to move indoors this fall and begin spending time with their loved ones, both very old and very young, they will once again have the opportunity to order up to four new COVID-19 tests free of charge and have them sent directly to their homes,” O’Connell told reporters. “These tests will help keep families and their loved ones safe this fall and winter season.”

She added that the tests will be able to detect infection from currently circulating variants.

During the same media briefing, federal officials said the summer uptick of COVID cases is not leading to a similar surge in hospitalizations and deaths as seen in previous years.

Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said immunity from vaccination and previous COVID infection have helped limit the burden of COVID on the health care system.

“I do want to acknowledge that we continue to see a lot of COVID-19 activity across the country right now in tests coming back from labs,” Cohen said, adding, “Circulating COVID disease is not translating into similar increases in emergency room visits and hospitalizations or deaths.”

Cohen said the severity of COVID is starting to look similar to flu but noted that COVID is still more dangerous.

According to a federal forecast for the upcoming respiratory virus season, the U.S. can expect similar or slightly improved figures in terms of peak hospitalizations when looking at COVID, flu and RSV together, she said.

“We know that protection decreases over time, and certain groups continue to be at higher risk from COVID and other viruses and we need to continue to protect ourselves and our loved ones,” Cohen said.

Officials also reiterated who should get vaccinated for COVID, flu and RSV ahead of the upcoming respiratory virus season.

For COVID-19 and flu, the CDC recommends that everyone ages 6 months and older receive a COVID and flu vaccine, including pregnant women. Cohen said individuals can receive both vaccines at the same time.

On Thursday, the FDA approved and granted emergency use authorization for updated COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna for the upcoming fall and winter season.

COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers told ABC News the vaccines are expected to be available in the coming week.

For RSV, all infants younger than 8 months old and infants between 8 months and 18 months who are high risk should get vaccinated. RSV vaccination is also recommended for pregnant women between 32 weeks and 36 weeks gestation as well as all adults ages 75 and older and adults between ages 60 and 74 who are at high risk.

In addition to tests, O’Connell said Paxlovid, an antiviral drug used to treat COVID-19 infections for those at risk of hospitalization, will be available for free for individuals on Medicare and Medicaid as well as for those who are uninsured.

Beginning in 2025 and running through 2028, Pfizer, which manufactures Paxlovid, will take over the patient assistance program for individuals who are uninsured and underinsured, O’Connell said.

Additionally, Merck’s patient assistance program will continue to administer Lagevrio, an antiviral used to treat patients in need of hospitalization from COVID-19, to those who are uninsured.

“Distributing at-home tests and securing access to treatments is an essential part of the Biden Harris administration’s efforts to ensure that we are as prepared as possible for the upcoming fall and winter respiratory season,” O’Connell said.