The government will again be sending out free COVID test to American households this fall, following a rise in cases this summer and an expected seasonal rise into wintertime.
While, of course, the peak of the coronavirus pandemic is behind us, cases are continuing to bubble across the country, causing illness and deaths. There was a wave of cases that built up at the tail-end of this summer, data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) show, and while it's significantly better than in previous years, we've learned we have to stay vigilant to keep the virus away.
We've also learned in the past few years that it's easier to spread COVID during the winter, when people gather more, for the holidays, and spend more time indoors in enclosed spaces, due to the cold. It's with that trend in mind that the government will be sending out free COVID-19 tests this fall.
From just $107.88 $24.99 for Kiplinger Personal Finance
Be a smarter, better informed investor.
Sign up for Kiplinger’s Free Newsletters
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice on investing, taxes, retirement, personal finance and more - straight to your e-mail.
Profit and prosper with the best of expert advice - straight to your e-mail.
"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," Dawn O'Connell, assistant secretary for preparedness and response at the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), told reporters, according to ABC News.
Households will be able to get four free COVID at-home tests, which will be able to detect current variants and can be used through the end of the year, the HHS says. You can order them through COVIDTests.gov.
However, you'll have to wait till "the end of September" to order them, and the government still has not announced an exact date when ordering will be live on the site. Please note, the COVID Tests site from the government can have trouble loading if it's getting too much traffic.
A COVID test costs as little as $10, so this amounts to savings of about $40. It's not a lot of cash, but you could feel better about putting it towards, say, a few Pumpkin Spice Lattes this fall. If you also consider the savings of not having to go to a doctor's office for a test, you just scored yourself a couple more lattes.
Other COVID precautions this fall
If testing is a way to keep others safe from COVID-19, keeping up with vaccines is a way to keep yourself safe. Updated vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer were approved by the FDA in August and are available around the country.
These vaccines are specifically updated to address a variant of COVID that caused the majority of infections this summer, according to Andy Pekosz, a professor at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
The CDC recommends COVID vaccines for everyone 6 months and older, and Pekosz says the best time to get vaccinated, if you haven't had COVID in the past few months, is in mid-October, to tackle an expected rise in cases around the holidays. You can get a flu vaccine at the same time.
Health is wealth, and an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Related content
-
A Comfortable Retirement is About More Than MoneyWhen it comes to a happy retirement, money can’t buy these things.
-
Four Ways a Massive Emergency Fund Can Hurt You More Than It HelpsSaving too much could mean you're missing opportunities to put your money to work. Redirect some of that money toward paying off debt, building retirement funds, fulfilling a dream or investing in higher-growth options.
-
Noctourism: The New Travel Trend For Your Next Trip"Noctourism" is a new trend of building travel and vacations around events and plans that take place at night. Take a look at some inspiring noctourism ideas.
-
Eight Tricks to Shop for Glasses if You're Over 50Shopping for glasses often gets trickier — and more expensive — as you age. If you've over 50, take these steps when you set out to buy a new pair.
-
My First $1 Million: Electric Utility Executive, 56, South CarolinaEver wonder how someone who's made a million dollars or more did it? Kiplinger's My First $1 Million series uncovers the answers.
-
How to Turn Amazon Prime Day Into a Travel WindfallDuring Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days sale, skip the fluff — here’s how to extract real travel value via gear, services and strategic credit cards.
-
Need a Reason to Retire Early? Consider These Eye-Opening StatsThe majority of people retire early, leaving the workforce before reaching their Full Retirement Age (FRA). Maybe you should, too.
-
Seven Things You Should Do Before 2026 Because of One Big Beautiful Bill ChangesThe new law ushers in significant changes for most taxpayers. Make these moves now to take advantage of them.
