Free Covid tests, treatments will return to help the country cope over fall and winter, US officials announce

As much of the US continues to experience very high levels of Covid-19 activity, government officials announced on Friday the return of programs to offer free tests, vaccines and treatments to see the nation through the winter respiratory virus season.

As much of the US continues to experience very high levels of Covid-19 activity, government officials announced on Friday the return of programs to offer free tests, vaccines and treatments to see the nation through the winter respiratory virus season. “The best plan going into this winter is for everyone to remain vigilant, to use the tools we have: vaccines, testing, treatment against the illnesses responsible for the majority of fall and winter deaths and hospitalizations,” Dr. Mandy Cohen, director of the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said Friday. Free Covid tests won’t be available right away but are coming back in time for fall and winter gatherings. Government-purchased supplies of the antiviral drug Paxlovid will also be available at no charge to people who are uninsured or who are on Medicare or Medicaid. The CDC is giving state and local health departments additional funding to provide free Covid vaccines for uninsured and underinsured adults, and free vaccines will continue to be available to children from low-income families through the government’s Vaccines for Children program. “We can’t forget that every age group is at risk, including our young children,” Cohen said. She noted that the highest numbers of emergency department visits for Covid over the summer were among children under the age of 5.