Free COVID-19 exams are nonetheless obtainable by mail, however the U.S. Postal Service says orders might be suspended after Friday.
Since Nov. 20, residents have been eligible to obtain as much as two orders of 4 at-home COVID-19 exams through the USPS, which means every residence may obtain as much as eight exams.
The provide is ending simply as COVID-19 restrictions and suggestions from well being officers have been considerably relaxed, however testing continues to be a central a part of the suggestions made by state and federal officers.
In California, the state’s division of well being now states newly contaminated folks don’t must isolate in the event that they aren’t displaying signs of COVID. They will additionally cease isolating if the sickness begins to enhance rapidly.
The California Division of Public Well being nonetheless recommends folks check and, in the event that they get a constructive consequence, put on a masks when indoors with others. Those that have been contaminated can take away their masks if they’ve two sequential detrimental exams taken a day half.
“Ordering free of charge COVID-19 exams through this web site might be suspended after Friday, March 8, 2024,” the message on the USPS web site reads. “All orders positioned on or earlier than March 8 might be delivered.”
In January 2022, the White Home launched a program to supply the free exams to each U.S. family through COVIDTests.gov. The exams have been supplied periodically since then.
A spokesperson for the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response confirmed to CBS Information that it will cease accepting the orders Friday however would proceed to distribute the exams to long-term-care services, meals banks, well being facilities and faculties.
Greater than 1.8 billion free COVID-19 exams have been distributed by way of the web site, the spokesperson informed the information outlet. The spokesperson added that extra free exams may nonetheless be distributed once more later within the yr.
