The Biden administration will resume offering free at-home Covid tests to American households as the virus continues to spread 

Americans can request four free tests through COVIDtests.gov 

Free test kits were initially offered in January 2022 but stopped taking orders on June 1 to conserve supplies 

The relaunched program coincides with the fall and winter seasons when the virus typically spreads more 

Covid hospitalizations have increased for eight consecutive weeks, mainly due to newer virus strains 

The at-home tests provided can detect currently circulating Covid variants 

These kits are intended for use until the end of 2023 

Instructions will be included on how to verify if a test's expiration date has been extended 

Traditional lab PCR tests have become more expensive and less accessible since the end of the public health emergency in May 

The Biden administration is investing $600 million to strengthen the manufacturing capacity of 12 Covid test manufacturers to secure about 200 million tests and mitigate the virus's spread