Where Can I Get a Free COVID Test?

Good news: The Biden administration plans to make rapid, over-the-counter COVID-19 tests free for all Americans.

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By Stephanie Cornwell, Editorial Assistant Happy Wednesday! Good news: The Biden administration plans to make rapid, over-the-counter COVID-19 tests free for all Americans. Today's Top Story You Get a Test! You Get a Test! Yep, It's happening. Affordable COVID-19 tests.   Americans with health insurance can apply for reimbursement through their insurance companies for the tests they buy, but guidelines for this process are still unknown. More information will likely come in January.   The administration will also send 50 million at-home tests to community health clinics and rural clinics for Americans who are uninsured. This is double the commitment previously made by the president in September to distribute 25 million free tests to community sites.   A total of eight at-home tests are now authorized by the FDA and on the market. Know More There are still a lot of questions, and it's unclear if there will truly be no cost barrier. Reimbursement sounds great, but not everyone can afford to spend the money out of pocket and wait for months to be reimbursed. Feel Better Distributing tests at low or no cost will make testing accessible for a population that has carried a huge burden of cases. For people who are uninsured, the cost of testing may be a barrier, and this approach will hopefully help reduce gaps in equity. Currently, low or no-cost COVID-19 tests are available at select health centers. You can check here for a testing site near you. READ MORE California and New York Reinstate Mask Mandates California and New York State are reinstating indoor mask mandates this week because of rising COVID-19 cases and the spread of the Omicron variant. California is also instituting new testing requirements for travelers and event goers, regardless of vaccination status. Health officials hope the new restrictions will curb the spread of COVID-19 as more people gather indoors for the holidays. READ MORE Your Smartphone Knows When You're Anxious Researchers have developed an AI-powered product for your smartphone that can detect anxious behaviors with more than 90% accuracy. Think: emotional support phone. The technology uses motion sensors within an app to recognize "anxious" behaviors, like leg tapping or nail biting. While more research is needed, scientists are hopeful an app could serve as a tool for clinicians to check in with patients experiencing anxiety. READ MORE     Andrew Pekosz, PhD, a virologist and researcher at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health, told Verywell that the best way to ensure protection from new COVID-19 variants is vaccination. If you want to be proactive, go and get your vaccine, go get your booster. Andrew Pekosz, PhD Virologist and researcher at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.   Keep Reading   ■ An Education While Incarcerated. The New Yorker     ■ More Black Families Are Opting for Homeschooling. NPR     ■ COVID Parenting is Reaching a Breaking Point. The Atlantic More From Verywell What is Emotional Abuse? READ MORE How to Correctly Treat Any Burn READ MORE Morning Stiffness From Psoriatic Arthritis? READ MORE   How'd we do? If you have any feedback, send us a note at   feedback@verywell.com.       You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the Verywell Health newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here.   A DOTDASH BRAND 28 Liberty Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY, 10005   © 2021 verywellhealth.com - All rights reserved. Privacy Policy