The federal government will again offer free Covid-19 tests through the mail, HHS Secretary Xavier Becerra told reporters Wednesday, amid an uptick in the number of Covid hospitalizations.
“The president wanted to make sure that no one can go without tests. We will once again up our program to make sure Americans have access to a test,” Becerra told reporters at a Washington pharmacy. The secretary was there to receive his Covid and flu shots and promote the updated Covid shots, which were endorsed by the CDC last week.
Becerra acknowledged anecdotal reports in the past week that people have had trouble getting their insurance to pay upfront for the updated shots, saying pharmacies likely ran into glitches that have been resolved. He encouraged people to contact their insurance provider if they experience issues. He also pushed back against a reporter’s question about anecdotal reports that Covid vaccines for young children have been difficult to obtain.
