Free COVID Tests Via Mail Available For New Yorkers Again

As hard as it is to accept, the COVID-19 Pandemic is nearly five years old, and just when many of us think we're over with this disease, it somehow pops its head back up. No matter how hard we try, the nature of this disease seems to have something else in mind.

As we wrap up the summer of 2024, positive COVID-19 infection rates all over the nation have been on the increase. That is the case everywhere, including right here in New York State. While things are nowhere near as bad as they were during the height of the pandemic, it's still not something you should ignore. The New York City Department of Health plainly says that COVID-19 is still around and threatens New Yorkers' health.

Because of this, the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response division of the US Department of Health and Human Services is restarting the program to allow Americans to order free COVID-19 At Home Tests via US Mail.

According to AP News, government regulators recently approved the plan to begin sending tests via mail again.

Under the plan, families can go to the HHS website and order up to four free COVID-19 At Home tests, which the US Postal Service will deliver. The program is expected to start in mid-September 2024 and will be accessible to those with US addresses.

Manufacturing COVID-19 tests in the United States strengthens our preparedness for the upcoming fall and winter seasons, reduces our reliance on other countries, and provides good jobs to hardworking Americans... ASPR’s investments in these domestic manufacturers will increase availability of tests in the future.
-Dawn O’Connell, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response

dpa/picture alliance via Getty I

In the last iteration of this program, more than 755 million free tests were mailed to more than 310 million households in the United States.

What To Do With Your Expired COVID-19 Tests?

With so many tests on the market, you may have an older COVID-19 test that has expired. Over the last year, government officials have been advising Americans not to throw these tests away.

The Federal Drug Administration has a listing that shows which tests are still good, even with an expired date, and which tests should, in fact, be disposed of. You can check your tests here on the FDA website to see if they're still any good.

Considering these tests can cost $10 or more each, it's like throwing money away.