Even more free home Covid-19 tests are available for order from the … – KADN

U.S. households are now eligible to order an additional four at-home Covid-19 tests free of cost through the government.

Residential households in the U.S. can now submit an order throughCovidtests.govfor four individual rapid antigen Covid-19 tests.

Orders started to ship on November 27, according toUSPS. People without an internet connection can call 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 1-888-720-7489) to request tests.

The U.S. government had suspended the rapid test distribution program earlier in May, then reopened it in September. Residents who havent placed an order since the program reopened can place two orders, which will provide eight tests in total, according to USPS.

Covid-19 rapid tests can be taken at home and can be used regardless of whether someone has symptoms. The tests should work through the end of the year; some of the dates on the tests may show that they are expired, but the US Food and Drug Administration hasextended those dates.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Preventionrecommends people testif they have any Covid-19-like symptoms including a sore throat, runny nose, loss of smell or taste, or a fever. People may also want to test before they are going to be a part of a large event, like a concert or a conference, particularly if people are not up-to-date on their vaccines. Antivirals are available to treat Covid-19 and flu, and testing can help determine which medication is needed.

Covid-19 hospital admissions and emergency department visits are once again on the rise after a few weeks of downturn, according to theCDC. For the week ending November 11, the percentage of Covid-related emergency department visits was 1.4%, or just over 16,200 people similar to rates seen throughout this month and last month.

Overall, outpatient visits for flu-like illness are lower than they were at this time last year but higher than in the previous four seasons. CDC forecasting suggests that this respiratory virus season will result in about the same number of hospitalizations as last season.

Seasonal flu activity is alsoincreasingin most parts of the country with flu-like activity labeled as high in New Mexico, Florida, Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and South Carolina, according to the CDC. There have been at least 780,000 illnesses, 8,000 hospitalizations, and 490 deaths from flu so far this season, the agency estimates.

More than a third of adults and nearly a third of children have gotten their flu shot this year, CDC data shows. About 14% of adults and 5% of children have gotten the new Covid-19 vaccine while 14% of older adults ages 60 and up have gotten the new RSV vaccine.

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Even more free home Covid-19 tests are available for order from the ... - KADN