Government to pause free at-home COVID tests by Sept. 2

[brooklynite]

Source: Axios

Time is running out to order free at-home COVID-19 tests after the government said on its coronavirus website that it will pause orders on Sept. 2 or “sooner if supplies run out.”

Why it matters: Consumers should prepare to soon pay for COVID-19 treatments and vaccines as the federal government prepares to shift costs back to health insurers, Axios’ Arielle Dreher reports.

The big picture: White House COVID-19 response coordinator Ashish Jha said on Aug. 16 that the Biden administration will stop buying vaccines, treatments and tests as early as this fall, CNN reported.

The Department of Health and Human Services has a meeting scheduled Tuesday with drugmakers, pharmacies, and state health departments to address the changes, the Wall Street Journal reports.

Read more: https://www.axios.com/2022/08/27/free-covid-test-kits-usps-government-pause

[bearsfootball516]

1. I ordered more about a week ago and received them yesterday.

Looks like I'll put in one more order.

[StarryNite]

2. I tried ordering more a couple of weeks ago but it wouldn't let me.

It said I couldn't order any more. What link are you using?

[bearsfootball516]

3. This was my link.

https://special.usps.com/testkits

Note that each address can only order tests three times, so if you've already submitted for an order three times, it'll kick back saying you can't order any more.

I just tried ordering more for myself and I got the "You've maxed out your orders" message.

[StarryNite]

7. I just tried it again. :(

It says I maxed out but I've only ordered and received twice.

[Simeon Salus]

9. Thanks for mentioning this

Seeing this thread, I tried my third order and didn't have any difficulty.

I made fourth attempt to check. I got the following message:

"This address has reached the current limit for test orders."

[riversedge]

14. so did I and got a message that I used my free ones. But I had only 2 orders and

they were saying we could have a third set. But I only had 2 orders last year.

[BigmanPigman]

12. Me too,

thanks to reading on DU that we can get up to 16 of them.

[h2ebits]

4. Thanks for posting this. I just ordered more and sent the link to family members too

[tblue37]

5. Thanks. I didn't know we could have a third order.

[dweller]

6. Just this past week

An announcement was made the govt would be buying 150 million of the new improved covid vaccine that would cover all variants of omicron …
Are they going to sell them now ?
🤔




✌🏻

[BumRushDaShow]

11. They didn't have enough $ for "every single American" but they bought 170+ million doses

I do know that per CDC, you still have at least half of the eligible who haven't even had a first booster and only about 1/3rd with a 2nd one, so I don't think there is going to be a problem getting the new bivalent one to people who "want" it. Unfortunately there is a big chunk of the populace who are "done with shots".

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 29, 2022
Contact: HHS Press Office
202-690-6343
[e-mail]

Biden-Harris Administration Secures 66 Million Doses of Moderna’s Variant-Specific COVID-19 Vaccine Booster for Potential Use in Fall and Winter 2022

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), in collaboration with the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD), today announced an agreement to purchase 66 million doses of Moderna’s bivalent COVID-19 vaccine booster candidate for potential use in the fall and winter. This contract announcement follows a recommendation by the FDA last month that vaccine manufacturers update their existing COVID-19 vaccines to create a bivalent booster that can target BA.4 and BA.5 Omicron subvariants.

Today’s purchase is in addition to the 105 million bivalent COVID-19 vaccine booster doses the U.S. government purchased recently from Pfizer for potential use later this year, pending FDA authorization and a recommendation by CDC. Pending those FDA and CDC actions, HHS would receive the first deliveries of the Moderna and Pfizer vaccine booster doses in early fall.

“We must stay vigilant in our fight against COVID-19 and continue to expand Americans’ access to the best vaccines and treatments,” said HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra. “As we look to the fall and winter, we’re doing just that—ensuring Americans have the tools they need to stay safe and help keep our nation moving forward.”

“We look forward to receiving these new variant-specific vaccines and working with state and local healthcare partners to make the vaccines available for free in communities around the country this fall,” said HHS Assistant Secretary Dawn O’Connell who leads the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR).

Existing COVID-19 vaccines remain the single most important tool in preventing serious illness, hospitalization, and death, and given the current threat that BA.5 Omicron subvariant poses, it is essential that Americans stay up to date with their COVID-19 vaccinations. At the same time, the virus is dynamic, and the Administration continues to act aggressively to ensure that Americans have access to the latest, most protective vaccines as quickly as they become available.

In order to do so in the absence of additional COVID-19 funding from Congress, earlier this month, the Administration was forced to pull $10 billion from critical COVID-19 response efforts in order to pay for additional vaccines and treatments. The funding for this latest agreement with Moderna comes from that reallocated funding.

Combined, the two agreements with Moderna and Pfizer would make available to the U.S. approximately 171 million bivalent vaccine booster doses for the fall and beyond, should they be authorized and recommended, which would not be enough for every single American. Both Moderna and Pfizer agreements include options for a total of 600 million doses—300 million from each company—but these options can only be exercised with additional funding from Congress.

(snip)

https://www.hhs.gov/about/news/2022/07/29/biden-harris-administration-secures-66-million-doses-modernas-variant-specific-covid-19-vaccine-booster-for-potential-use-in-fall-winter-2022.html

[cannabis_flower]

8. There might be a silver lining to this.

If people can no longer test at home, more cases will be reported.

[StarryNite]

10. I would hate to go back to the days of having to try to get an appointment

to be tested. Or the lines at special testing sites. I'm afraid fewer people will get tested and it will spread even more.

[Sucha NastyWoman]

13. Just used my last free one last Tuesday

And guess what? For the first time, I tested positive. Got pretty sick but seemto be recovering rapidly.