Unfortunately, Covid is surging again and it already ran through my family last month, when my wife and daughter came down with it for the second time. Somehow, neither my son nor I got it this time around, even though we were in the same house and sleeping in the same beds. RELATED: Why You Should Add These 8 Health Items To Your Toiletry Bag When You Travel
Whether you had Covid recently or not, it’s a good idea to stock up on tests, especially when they’re free. The best way to protect others from the nasty virus and any other one you’re carrying, is to stay home and if you have air travel plans, take advantage of the airlines’ no change fees, one of the best things to come out of the pandemic.
It’s also wise to test yourself if you’re feeling sick so you know how long to stay home. According to the CDC, when you have Covid, isolation is counted in days, as follows:
If you had no symptoms
- Day 0 is the day you were tested (not the day you received your positive test result)
- Day 1 is the first full day following the day you were tested
- If you develop symptoms within 10 days of when you were tested, the clock restarts at day 0 on the day of symptom onset
If you had symptoms
- Day 0 of isolation is the day of symptom onset, regardless of when you tested positive
- Day 1 is the first full day after the day your symptoms started”
I have two little kids and although we’re not required to test them, we always do when they get sniffly or have a cough because we don’t want to be those irresponsible and rude parents who send their kids to school when they’re sick or worse, when they have Covid.
Covid tests aren’t cheap so if you want to save some money, then order some tests from the U.S. government. Starting September 25, 2023, you can order your fifth round for free.
Just like the previous times, it takes just 30 seconds to order the tests. Just input your name and shipping address and that’s it. The website is COVIDTests.gov, and each residential address is eligible for four tests. According to WhiteHouse.gov: “Tests will usually ship within 7-12 days of ordering.”
BTW: If you have leftover tests that have expired, don’t throw them away just yet. The FDA has extended the expiration date on some. Check here to see if your COVID-19 test expiration dates have been extended.
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Thanks for this timely info – we placed our order right away.
Never got a COVID test, ever.