FDA: COVID-19 vaccines will be updated and approved before fall season
The FDA announced that the latest updates to Moderna and Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccines are approved and ready for fall use.
In light of the sharp rise in COVID-19 cases over the summer, the U.S. government is now restarting its program to provide free COVID-19 test kits to households across the United States.
In Wisconsin, wastewater monitoring has shown “high” or “very high” levels of COVID-19 at nearly all testing sites across the state. And hospitalizations due to COVID-19 rose by as much as 40% in the southeast and south-central parts of the state in early August, according to the Wisconsin Department of Health Services.
This is the seventh time in the past three years that the government has provided free testing kits to Americans, health officials said last week. The revival of the program came shortly after the Food and Drug Administration approved updated COVID-19 vaccines for fall use, which will be available in Wisconsin in a few days.
Find out how and when you can get your free COVID-19 tests.
How many tests does each household receive?
Each household can request up to four free COVID tests. The tests will be delivered directly to their home.
How to order free COVID-19 tests
According to the website, COVID-19 tests can be ordered online at COVIDtest.gov starting in late September.
The authorities have not given a specific date for the official opening of the portal. This information is expected to be available towards the end of next month.
More: When and where to get the latest COVID-19 vaccines in Wisconsin
Can the tests detect new variants of COVID-19?
According to Dawn O’Connell, assistant secretary for preparedness and response at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the latest rounds of free testing will be able to detect the currently prevalent variants of COVID-19.
According to CDC data, as of August 17, the KP.3.1.1 subvariant accounted for nearly 37% of cases in the U.S., and KP.3 accounted for nearly 17% of cases.
“Don’t forget to take advantage of these free tests if you are concerned that you or your loved ones may have COVID,” O’Connell said. “They’re no use to anyone if they’re sitting in your medicine cabinet.”
Where else can you get tested for COVID-19?
If you need a COVID-19 test before free testing becomes available, you have some options.
For people without health insurance who are showing symptoms or have been exposed to COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is offering free testing nationwide. There are about a dozen of these free testing sites in the Milwaukee area, most of them in a Walgreens store.
You can find the nearest free testing location on the CDC’s testing locator page. Some insurance plans also cover free COVID-19 testing, and you can order it through Walgreens by providing your insurance information.
COVID-19 tests are available at CVS, Walgreens and other retailers. These kits cost between $16 and $24 for a pack of two tests.
USA Today contributed to this story.
