Topline:
The federal program that mails free COVID tests will relaunch on Sept. 25.
Why now: As COVID-19 infections and hospitalizations have been rising, the federal program that was suspended on June 1 will now restart, said Health and Human Services Secretary Xavier Becerra.
The Biden-Harris Administration has awarded $600 million to 12 COVID-19 vaccine manufacturers, including five in California, to “improve preparedness for COVID-19 and other pandemic threats of the future, strengthen the nation’s capacity to manufacture tests, and secure approximately 200 million new over-the-counter COVID-19 tests for future federal government use,” according to a statement from the White House.
Earlier this month, public health officials in Los Angeles County said transmission numbers were up in workplace and school settings. Hospitalizations were also up, prompting Barbara Ferrer, director of the Los Angeles County Department Of Public Health, to say that if this trend continues, L.A. County may move into the CDC’s “medium” hospital tier by the end of September. L.A. County is currently in the low tier. The vaccine booster should be widely available across Los Angeles County this week.
What’s next: Starting Sept. 25, you can order up to four at home tests on COVIDTests.gov, which will be delivered for free via USPS.
Read the full article here
