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The White House announced it is restarting the free at-home COVID testing program as part of its "COVID-19 Winter Preparedness Plan."
"While COVID-19 is not the disruptive force it once was, the virus continues to evolve, and cases are on the rise again as families are spending more time indoors and gathering for the holidays. Throughout the COVID-19 response, this Administration has been prepared for whatever the virus throws our way – and this moment is no different," the White House said.
Every household in the United States will be eligible to receive up to four free testing kits. The testing kits can be ordered online at covidtests.gov or by calling 1-800-232-0233. The United States Postal Service will begin shipping the tests out next week.
The program was halted in September after sending out over 600 million at-home testing kits. While Congress has not approved new funding for the program, the White House said the government was able to use existing funds to purchase additional testing kits. Officials did not say how many testing kits would be available or how long the program would run.
"With updated COVID-19 vaccines, at-home tests, and effective oral antiviral treatments widely available, the Administration encourages every individual American to have a plan for how to prevent and respond to COVID-19 this winter."