The Biden administration plans to reopen a partnership with the U.S. Postal Service to mail free at-home Covid-19 tests to households that request them in order to keep ahead of a potential winter surge.
After a lull throughout much of the summer and fall, Covid cases have risen notably in recent weeks, worrying health officials that the U.S. could be on the verge of another wave. The White House now plans to announce that it’s reopening access to its stockpile of tests for a limited time as part of a broader “winter preparedness plan” it will roll out on Thursday.
White House officials paused the popular program in early September over concerns that the government’s stockpile of tests would be depleted before winter. More than 600 million at-home tests had gone out to households across the country by the time the program was halted.
Officials warned at the time the government could not afford to purchase more tests absent new funding from Congress, and needed to preserve the “limited remaining supply” for future Covid-19 surges.
Starting today, American households will be able to request free Covid tests.
