The Biden Administration makes eight FREE COVID TESTS per household available to mitigate the spread of COVID-19
AGN.News Team
May 18, 2022
ATLANTA (AGN.News) – The CDC says COVID cases are rising in some US communities. The Biden Administration is making eight FREE COVID TESTS per household available in an effort to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 across the country.
We are reminded of signs showing a gradual leveling off of the number of the Omicron variant of COVID-19 nationwide with the ‘Stealth’ omicron variant BA.2, also called Omicron 2.0, circulating in almost half of US on the rise.
“We urge local leaders to encourage the use of prevention strategies like masking in public indoor settings and increasing access to testing and to treatment,” the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Dr. Rochelle Walensky, said at a briefing of the White House pandemic response team.
She also said that given the efficacy of one-way masking and the over-the-counter availability of testing, people do not need to wait for government action to take action of their own.
How we can protect ourselves
“In areas where community levels are high, everyone should be using prevention measures and wearing a mask in public indoor settings,” Walensky said, adding that in areas of moderate community spread, people should “consider” masking as well, based on individual risk factors like age and overall health.
She noted that 32% of Americans now live in a community with high or moderate coronavirus levels, an increase of 8% on the previous week. Hospitalizations are rising, too, though deaths remain at a relatively low level, a testament to the effectiveness of treatments like Paxlovid.
“What is driving the COVID increase?
“There’s a lot of infections across America,” Dr. Ashish Jha, who heads the pandemic response team, said on Wednesday. The nation is now recording some 94,000 new cases per day, he noted. By contrast, early April saw daily averages of as few as 25,000 cases.
“What is primarily driving that is these incredibly contagious subvariants,” Jha said, referring to strains like BA.2.12.1, which is highly transmissible but less virulent than earlier iterations of the virus.
Shortly after the pandemic briefing concluded, the White House revealed that President Biden’s daughter, Ashley, had tested positive for the coronavirus. She had been expected to travel with first lady Jill Biden to Latin America but, as millions of Americans have had to do over the last two years, was forced to cancel her plans and isolate instead.
The CDC provides extensive COVID-19 local Guidance and mitigation information on subjects like self-testing, travel, quarantine & isolation, as well as people with certain medical conditions and much more online: here.
There are many resources available via the Centers for Disease Control website to answer many questions individuals and families are seeking answers.
FREE Rapid COVID-19 Antigen Self-Tests
With funding for free facility testing for the uninsured – paid for by the federal government – now in question, FREE rapid Antigen self-testing kits are now available.
Many people are asking about how to get FREE COVID TESTS kits. The White House has provided information on COVID test kits.
Free COVID tests can be ordered online at: covidtests.gov. These FREE COVID tests are limited to eight (8) per household. Once you place your order the USPS will send you an email informing you of the time your order is shipped, generally between 7 to 10 days after your order has been placed. These kits are sent postage-free so there is no cost to you.
N95 masks now available
These N95 masks are available at local health facilities, local pharmacies, community health centers and many other provider locations in communities nationwide. Check with your local health department or healthcare provider for locations near you.
COVID-19 PREVENTION
STOP THE SPREAD! GET VACCINATED! VACCINES ARE AVAILABLE FOR FREE!
Everyone is being urged by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC.gov) to get vaccinated, wear masks, practice social distancing, and wash hands as a way to cut down on the transmission rate.
For more information on local responses to the novel coronavirus also called … COVID-19, contact your local healthcare provider, visit coronavirus.gov or visit cdc.gov for the United States response to the coronavirus.
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Written by
AGN.News Team
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