For the third time this year, the US government has started offering another round of free COVID-19 tests even as the respiratory virus season has begun in the fall. "US households will be eligible to order four free COVID-19 tests at COVIDTests.gov," according to the Department of Health and Human Services. "The COVID-19 tests will detect current COVID-19 variants and can be used through the end of the year," it added.

According to officials, more than 900 million such tests have already been distributed to help people get tested and treated earlier and to perhaps keep them from spreading the virus to others.

"At-home COVID tests can be taken at home or in other locations and typically provide results within 30 minutes or less," according to the HHS. "COVID tests can be administered to both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals."

According to the federal government, testing is being pushed in big numbers and can come in handy as gatherings for the upcoming Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas would push people into close proximity. And so, experts suggest it is best to remain vigilant and use the available tools like vaccines, testing, and treatment against the virus – which mostly becomes active during the majority of fall and winter – leading to deaths and hospitalizations.

According to the CDC, the latest, strain-specific formulation of the COVID-19 vaccine is now available - in both the RNA form as manufactured by Moderna and Pfizer; or Novavax' protein-based alternative. The mRNA vaccines target the KP.2 'FLiRT' variant - a dominant strain since earlier this year. Novavax's shot targets the JN.1 strain which, even though it is still around but perhaps less dominant. At present, CDC says the KP.3.1.1 - an offshoot of the omicron variant, is the dominant variant across the US, accounting for an estimated 52.7 per cent of cases.

Since all vaccines are available at pharmacies across the country, doctors and experts recommend all those over the age of 6 months get both COVID-19 and flu shots simultaneously.

Even though the CDC says even though most Americans have some degree of immunity from prior infections or vaccinations or both, that protection wanes. Last year’s shots targeted a different part of the coronavirus family tree - a strain that is no longer circulating.

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