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People can now declare one other set of free COVID-19 checks.
The federal authorities has introduced that beginning this week, every U.S. family can order 4 extra free at-home checks. They’ll begin delivery out the week of Sept. 30.
You may order extra checks by way of the website of the U.S. Postal Service, which is able to ship them to you without spending a dime.
They are going to be antigen checks, also called fast checks. They work by detecting proteins from the virus that causes COVID-19, whereas molecular checks like polymerase chain response (PCR) checks work by detecting genetic materials from the virus.
Antigen checks are much less prone to detect the COVID-19 virus than molecular checks — particularly in somebody whose an infection has simply began or who isn’t symptomatic but. So repeat testing is essential when utilizing antigen checks.
The U.S. Meals and Drug Administration (FDA) explains:
“Presently, all at-home COVID-19 antigen checks which are FDA-authorized are approved for repeat testing, additionally known as serial testing. This implies individuals who obtain a damaging take a look at outcome ought to use a number of checks over a sure interval, testing a minimum of twice over three days if they’ve signs and a minimum of thrice over 5 days if they don’t have signs.”
In the event you nonetheless have checks readily available at residence, the federal government urges you to test their expiration dates earlier than throwing them out. The expiration dates of some checks have been prolonged.
You may be taught extra about COVID-19 take a look at expiration dates — and discover expiration dates for particular checks — on the FDA website.
If you’re in pressing want of testing for COVID-19, your choices embody:
- Shopping for an at-home take a look at at a retailer, resembling a pharmacy.
- Checking without spending a dime testing websites in your space. Go to the Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention’s free COVID-19 testing website to seek for one close to you.
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