White House Steps Up Fight Against Possible Winter COVID-19 Surge
WASHINGTON — Three months after stopping the practice, the Biden administration is once again making free COVID-19 tests available to all U.S. households.
The goal, administration officials said, is to stop a potential surge in COVID-19 cases heading into winter.
Starting Thursday, households will be able to request four rapid virus tests through covidtests.gov.
The renewed effort to combat the coronavirus comes after an uptick of cases after the recent Thanksgiving holiday.
A further increase in cases is expected following Christmas and New Year’s, holidays that are marked by travel and indoor entertaining.
The administration also announced Thursday that it is putting personnel and equipment on standby should they be needed to help overwhelmed hospitals and nursing homes.
The White House is also doubling down on its efforts to encourage people to get the updated bivalent COVID-19 vaccines, which are more effective at protecting against serious illness than the vaccines administered months ago.
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