CNN
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People in the United States can now order more free Covid-19 tests from the federal government as the country enters respiratory virus season and high levels of the coronavirus are already circulating.

Each household is eligible for four at-home testing kits, which can be requested starting today at COVIDTests.gov. They will ship for free via the US Postal Service starting next week.

This is the seventh round of distribution for the program, which has delivered more than 900 million free tests directly to U.S. residents since its inception in winter 2021, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

The rapid antigen tests take about 30 minutes to produce results. This next wave of tests will be able to detect currently circulating variants and can be used for testing in people who have Covid-19 symptoms and those who do not, as well as those who are current on their Covid-19 symptoms. 19 vaccination and those who are not.

“The reopening of this popular program is the latest step by the Biden-Harris administration to ensure over-the-counter COVID-19 tests are available this fall and winter to all who want them,” says HHS deputy secretary for preparedness and response Dawn O’ Connell said in a statement. “Before you visit your family and friends this holiday season, take a rapid test and help protect them from COVID-19.”

The tests available also include an option with features that make their use more accessible to people with disabilities that affect dexterity or vision. More information about ordering these tests is available at ACL.gov/AccessibleTests.

“COVID-19 testing can help you know if you have COVID-19 so you can decide what to do next, such as getting treatment to reduce your risk of serious illness and taking steps to reduce your chances of spread the virus to others,” said the HHS Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response.

To prevent the spread of Covid-19, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention advises people who test positive to stay home and away from others until they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends that people take multiple rapid tests to make sure they don’t have Covid-19: two negative tests for people with symptoms and three for people without symptoms, 48 ​​hours apart.

The CDC also recommends that everyone 6 months or older get an updated Covid-19 vaccine this season to stay informed.

This year there are several options available; mRNA vaccines from Moderna and Pfizer were updated to target KP.2, one of the so-called FLiRT variants that have been dominant in the US since May. These vaccines are for people aged 6 months and older. A more traditional protein vaccine from Novavax is also available, but it targets JN.1, a variant that is still circulating but less prominent than a few months ago. The Novavax vaccine is only approved for people 12 years and older.

The updated Covid-19 vaccines are now available at pharmacies across the US and can be received at the same time as the annual flu vaccine.

“The best plan going into this winter is for everyone to stay vigilant and use the tools we have: vaccines, testing, treatment for the diseases responsible for the majority of deaths and hospitalizations in the fall and winter,” said CDC Director Dr. Mandy Cohen. last week.

CNN’s Brenda Goodman contributed to this report.