Free COVID Tests Available Monday
*SIGH* I am sure you heard the news. COVID cases are on the rise again. Maybe you have seen it in your office or in your child’s school. Is it a cold, or is it COVID? What is the protocol? Do you have to test? Can you get free COVID tests? Yes.
With cases on the rise, the US Department of Health and Human Services said the government is ready to relaunch a program to mail out free COVID tests. The timing is perfect. Fall and winter is the time of year when more people are inside more often and the spread of germs is at its peak. PCR Tests are expensive and many Americans can’t swing it. That is why the government decided to make at-home tests free to those who ask. (There are free testing sites still available in certain areas. CLICK HERE to find one near you.)
Beginning Monday, September 25th, households can order four tests from COVIDTESTS.GOV. The government has already shipped more than 755 million free tests to those who’ve requested them.
Are the Symptoms Different From The New Variant?
No. According to UC Davis Health, the symptoms of the current iteration of COVID and the first one that ran through the United States are similar. The following are some of the common symptoms. Further down you’ll see some more severe symptoms. Any of these can last 2 to 14 days.
- fever or chills
- cough
- shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- fatigue
- muscle or body aches
- headache
- new loss of taste or smell
- sore throat
- congestion or runny nose
- diarrhea
- nausea or vomiting
Some symptoms can be severe:
- trouble breathing
- persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- new confusion
- inability to wake up or stay awake
- pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds, depending on skin tone
COVID also leaves some patients with long-term symptoms. Some of these can last months and even years after your initial diagnosis:
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Cough
- Tiredness or fatigue
- Chest pain
- Joint or muscle pain
- Fast-beating heart (heart palpitations)
- Symptoms that get worse after physical or mental activities
- Pins-and-needles feeling
- Diarrhea
- Change in taste and smell
- Fever
- Dizziness when standing up
- Trouble sleeping
- Rash
- Mood changes
- Headache
- Changes in menstrual cycles
- Brain fog
- Depression and anxiety