COVID-19 Testing

"Coming soon! Order your free COVID-19 Tests at the end of September.

U.S. households will be eligible to order 4 free COVID-19 tests at COVIDTests.gov. The COVID-19 Tests will detect current COVID-19 variants and can be used through the end of the year.

COVID-19 testing can help you know if you have COVID-19 so you can decide what to do next, like getting treatment to reduce your risk of severe illness and taking steps to lower your chances of spreading the virus to others.

Ordering free COVID tests via this website has currently closed. The COVIDtests.gov program distributed over 900 million tests directly to American households. The U.S. government continues to make COVID-19 tests available to uninsured individuals and underserved communities through existing outreach programs. Please contact a HRSA-funded health center or ICATT location near you to learn how to access low- or nocost COVID-19 tests provided by the federal government.

CDC recommends everyone ages 6 months and older receive an updated 2024-2025 COVID-19 vaccine to protect against the potentially serious outcomes of COVID-19 this fall and winter whether or not they have ever previously been vaccinated with a COVID-19 vaccine. Data continue to show the importance of vaccination to protect against severe outcomes of COVID-19 and flu, including hospitalization and death. To learn more about the current vaccines, visit the CDC's COVID-19 webpage..."
COVID-19 Testing 

At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests

"At-home over-the-counter (OTC) COVID-19 diagnostic tests can show if you have an active COVID-19 infection.

These at-home OTC COVID-19 diagnostic tests are FDA authorized for self-testing at home (or in other locations) without a prescription. Tests are available online or at local stores and  you collect your own sample, perform the test, and read the result yourself without the need to send a sample to a laboratory.

With most at-home OTC COVID-19 diagnostic tests, you should repeat testing following a negative result, whether you have symptoms or not, to reduce your risk of a false negative test result. For additional information on reading and understanding your test results, see Understanding At-Home OTC COVID-19 Antigen Diagnostic Test Results.

For more information, including answers to frequently asked general questions about at-home COVID-19 diagnostic tests, visit At-Home COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests: Frequently Asked Questions.

Authorized At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests and Expiration Dates

The table below is updated regularly and lists FDA-authorized at-home OTC COVID-19 diagnostic tests, including information on expiration dates, who can use the test, links to home use instructions for each test, and other details that may help you decide what test is right for you. For additional information about each Emergency Use Authorization (EUA), see In Vitro Diagnostics EUAs: Tables of IVD EUAs.

In the table below, the "Expiration Date" column lists where to find the expiration date for that test, and the "Other Details" column lists the shelf-life for the test. The shelf-life is how long the test should work as expected and is measured from the date the test was manufactured. The expiration date is set at the end of the shelf-life and is the date through which the test is expected to perform as accurately as when manufactured. In some cases, the expiration date for a test may be extended.

An extended expiration date means the manufacturer provided data showing that the shelf-life is longer than was known when the test was first authorized. For more information about how the expiration date is determined and why it may be extended, see the At-Home COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests: Frequently Asked Questions.   

To see if the expiration date for your at-home OTC COVID-19 test has been extended, first find the row in the below table that matches the manufacturer and test name shown on the box label of your test. If the expiration date has been extended, then the Expiration Date column states "Extended Expiration Date" and links to a document that lists the lot numbers, original expiration dates, and the extended expiration dates. If your lot number and/or original expiration date do not appear, or if the Expiration Date column states “Expiration Date: See box label,” do not use the test beyond the original expiration date on your test. 

Search the table below by manufacturer, test name, or other details shown in the table to find more information on the test, including if the expiration date has been extended. .."
OVID-19 Diagnostic Tests 

"Wastewater (sewage) can be tested to detect traces of infectious diseases circulating in a community, even if people don’t have symptoms. You can use these data as an early warning that levels of infections may be increasing or decreasing in your community.

About CDC’s Wastewater Program (NWSS)

How Wastewater Monitoring Works

Wastewater COVID-19 State and Territory Trends

COVID-19 NWSS Wastewater Monitoring in the U.S.

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This chart shows state trends of SARS-COV-2 viral activity levels in wastewater. For comparison, you can also see trends for the region (Midwest, South, Northeast, West) in which the state is located and the national trend.

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AlabamaAlaskaArizonaArkansasCaliforniaColoradoConnecticutDelawareDistrict of ColumbiaFloridaGeorgiaGuamHawaiiIdahoIllinoisIndianaIowaKansasKentuckyLouisianaMaineMarylandMassachusettsMichiganMinnesotaMississippiMissouriMontanaNebraskaNevadaNew HampshireNew JerseyNew MexicoNew YorkNorth CarolinaNorth DakotaOhioOklahomaOregonPennsylvaniaRhode IslandSouth CarolinaSouth DakotaTennesseeTexasUtahVermontVirginiaWashingtonWest VirginiaWisconsinWyoming

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Data from the most recent two weeks may be incomplete due to delays in data reporting. These data sets are subject to change and are indicated by the gray shading.

Testing has resumed for commercial contract wastewater sites (about 350 sites) that have had a temporary delay since September 15, 2023. Once sites have six weeks of data, the wastewater viral activity levels will be displayed..."
Wastewater and COVID-19 

Updated COVID-19 Vaccine Recommendations are Now Available

"CDC is posting updates on respiratory viruses every week; for the latest information, please visit CDC Respiratory Virus Updates.

Key Takeaways:

• Updated COVID-19 vaccines are recommended for everyone 6 months and older and will be available by the end of this week at most places you would normally go to get your vaccines.
• Older adults and persons with weakened immune systems are at greatest risk for hospitalization and death. In addition, healthy children and adults can still experience severe disease.
• The updated vaccines should work well against currently circulating variants of COVID-19, including BA.2.86, and continue to be the best way to protect yourself against severe disease.
• The benefits of COVID-19 vaccination continue to outweigh any potential risks. Serious reactions after COVID-19 vaccination are rare.
• In one study, the risk of cardiac complications, including myocarditis, in males 12-17 years old was 1.8 – 5.6 times higher after COVID-19 infection than after COVID-19 vaccination.
• The vaccines are covered by insurance, including private insurance, Medicare plans, and Medicaid plans. Uninsured children and uninsured adults also have access through the Vaccine for Children Program and Bridge Access Program, respectively.

Background

COVID-19 burden is currently lower than at previous points in the pandemic; however, the absolute number of hospitalizations and deaths remains high. Older adults and persons with weakened immune systems are at highest for severe illness. Additionally, children and adults with no underlying medical conditions can still experience severe illness due to COVID-19.

Last fall and winter virus season, people who received the 2022-2023 COVID-19 vaccine had greater protection against severe illness and hospitalization than those who did not receive that vaccine. We are still at risk of COVID-19 since the virus continues to change and new variants emerge. Additionally, protection from COVID-19 vaccines and infection decline over time. An updated COVID-19 vaccine provides enhanced protection against the variants currently responsible for most hospitalizations in the United States.

Actions for the Public

On September 12, 2023, CDC recommended a COVID-19 vaccine updated for 2023-2024 for everyone aged 6 months and older to protect against serious illness.

The main reason to get vaccinated against COVID-19 is to protect yourself against severe illness, hospitalization, and even death. COVID-19 vaccines also reduce the chance of having Long COVID. This vaccine is expected to provide better protection against variants that are currently making people sick.

The updated COVID-19 vaccines are similar to earlier COVID-19 vaccines that were safely administered to hundreds of millions of Americans during the pandemic..."
COVID-19 Vaccine