WASHINGTON — The government website for people to request free COVID-19 at-home tests shows the program will be suspended on Friday, September 2. The web site says the program is ending because Congress hasn’t provided additional funding to replenish the nation’s stockpile of tests.
In May, the White House announced that U.S. households could request an additional eight free at-home tests to be shipped by the U.S. Postal Service.
President Joe Biden committed in January to making 1 billion tests available to the public free of charge, including 500 million available through covidtests.gov.
People who have difficulty getting online or need help placing an order can call 1-800-232-0233 for assistance. Households were eligible to receive four tests during each of two earlier rounds of ordering through the website.
Biden has requested an additional $22 billion from Congress to buy vaccines and therapeutics to prepare for a fall spike in COVID-19 cases, but lawmakers have balked at the price tag.