Free authorities program by way of USPS to finish at present
If it’s good to fill up on COVID-19 check kits, at present is the final day you may get them free of charge by way of the U.S. authorities to be delivered by the united statesPostal Service.
In response to a discover posted on COVID.gov, an official web site of the U.S. Division of Well being and Human Providers, ordering free of charge COVID-19 exams on the web site will probably be suspended after Friday, March 8, 2024.
All orders positioned on or earlier than March 8 will probably be delivered, the discover says.
A spokesperson for the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response, or ASPR, confirmed to USA TODAY that the company will cease accepting orders to ship COVID-19 exams to households by way of the USPS.
“ASPR has delivered over 1.8 billion free COVID-19 exams to the American folks by way of COVIDTests.gov and direct distribution pathways and can proceed distributing tens of millions of exams per week to long-term care services, meals banks, well being facilities, and colleges,” the spokesperson instructed USA TODAY.
The company additionally instructed USA TODAY that slowing charges drove the choice to pause orders and that exams may nonetheless be distributed once more sooner or later.
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CDC shortens COVID-19 isolation interval
The Facilities for Illness Management and Prevention final week up to date its COVID-19 steerage so individuals who check constructive for the virus will not be directed to isolate at house for 5 days.
CDC officers introduced a brand new coverage specializing in actions folks can take to cut back spreading quite a lot of frequent respiratory viruses, comparable to influenza, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and COVID-19.
These actions embrace staying at house when sick, staying updated with vaccines, working towards good hygiene and enhancing indoor air high quality.
The change marks the primary time the company has revised its coronavirus tips since 2021. It’s meant for folks and employers, not for hospitals or nursing properties which have separate steerage, the CDC stated.
CDC officers referred to as the change a streamlined method that’s simpler for folks to grasp and extra in keeping with circulating respiratory viruses that unfold the identical method and have comparable signs.
The announcement displays progress made in lowering hospitalizations and deaths from COVID-19 over the past two years, CDC Director Mandy Cohen stated in a Friday information convention. Nonetheless, she emphasised continued use of vaccines and coverings.
Contributing: Eduardo Cuevas, Adrianna Rodriguez and Ken Alltucker, USA TODAY
