National Health & Safety

The government will no longer be sending free COVID-19 tests to Americans

by Ayana Archie

A USPS logo adorns the back doors of United States Postal Service delivery vehicles as they proceed westbound along 20th Street from Stout Street and the main post office in downtown Denver, Wednesday, June 1, 2022.
A USPS logo adorns the back doors of United States Postal Service delivery vehicles as they proceed westbound along 20th Street from Stout Street and the main post office in downtown Denver, Wednesday, June 1, 2022. David Zalubowski / AP

The federal government is putting a pause on sending free COVID-19 testing kits to Americans starting in September, due to a lack of funding.

"Ordering through this program will be suspended on Friday, September 2 because Congress hasn't provided additional funding to replenish the nation's stockpile of tests," the ordering website says.

However, the program is still accepting orders before Sep. 2.

The White House first began sending out the kits in January. By last May, the White House said 350 million tests had been given away to 70 million households, more than half of the households in the U.S.

Copyright 2022 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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