By I. Edwards HealthDay Reporter<\/b>
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TUESDAY, March 11, 2025 (HealthDay News) — The U.S. government program that provides free at-home COVID tests is no longer accepting orders.<\/p>\n
The Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) has not said whether the program will ever restart.<\/p>\n
“The free at-home COVID-19 test distribution program is not currently accepting orders,” the website<\/a> states.<\/p>\n However, tests that were ordered before 8 p.m. ET on March 9 will still be shipped. Individuals can still purchase home test kits at pharmacies and grocery stores for $10 to $35 per test.<\/p>\n Some insurance plans may cover the cost, and local health departments may offer free tests.<\/p>\n The COVID<\/a> test distribution program has been paused multiple times since its launch in winter 2021.<\/p>\n It was previously halted in spring as cases began to decline, but then resumed in the fall ahead of the respiratory virus season.<\/p>\n The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has not provided a reason for the latest suspension.<\/p>\n COVID cases remain a concern, but numbers have been decreasing. As of March 1, about 4% of people testing for COVID received a positive result, a slight drop from the previous week, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).<\/p>\n Hospitalizations and deaths have also seen small declines.<\/p>\n The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) continues to recommend that people with COVID-like symptoms test multiple times to confirm their results.<\/p>\n More information<\/strong><\/p>\n The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has more on at-home OTC COVID tests<\/a>.<\/p>\n