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This is what you need to know in Arizona

VaselineSeptember 19, 2024

0 2 minutes read

This is what you need to know in Arizona

The federal government will offer free COVID-19 test kits to American households by the end of the month.

This is the seventh time in the past three years that the government has provided free testing kits to Americans, USA TODAY reports. About 900 million home tests have been sent to homes across the country in partnership with the U.S. Postal Service.

So far in 2024, more than 84,000 COVID-19 cases have been reported in the state, according to the Arizona Department of Health Services, more than half of which are in Maricopa County. This year, 656 people have died from the disease.

Here’s everything you need to know about free COVID testing and common symptoms.

How to Get Free COVID Tests

Each household can receive up to four free tests from the COVIDtest.gov website. Once ordered, the home tests will be shipped to your home free of charge. An exact date has not yet been announced for when Americans will be able to order the COVID-19 tests.

The tests will also be able to detect the dominant variants currently circulating, including subvariants. KP.3.1.1 has made up nearly 37% of COVID-19 cases in the U.S., and KP.3 has made up more than 16%, the CDC said.

Common COVID-19 symptoms right now

According to the CDC, the following symptoms may occur in someone with COVID-19:

Fever or chills
Cough
Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
Fatigue
Muscle or body aches
Headache
New loss of taste or smell
A sore throat
Stuffy or runny nose
Nausea or vomiting
Diarrhea

How do I protect myself from COVID-19?

Experts say people can stay virus-free by returning to basic COVID-19 etiquette rules from the beginning of the pandemic.

Nick Staab, assistant medical director for the Maricopa County Department of Public Health, said general distancing from crowded areas is a good strategy to help prevent COVID-19.

“If you are sick, stay home, stay away from others,” he said. “If you are at high risk and you develop symptoms, go out, get tested for COVID-19, because the sooner you find out it is COVID-19, the better our antivirals will respond to prevent severe infections.”

The CDC recommends that people stay up to date on their COVID-19 vaccines and practice good hygiene. Good air circulation where they live can help reduce transmission of the virus.

“As we see this virus evolve over time, we expect it to become less severe than other coronaviruses that cause infections in people,” he said. “We’re not seeing nearly as many hospitalizations as we did during the peaks of this past summer.”

USA TODAY Network reporter Alex Perry contributed to this article.

VaselineSeptember 19, 2024

0 2 minutes read