ABSENTEE VOTES. >> STARTING TODAY, YOU CAN GET AT HOME COVID TESTS FOR FREE ONCE AGAIN. THE GOVERNMENT TODAY RELAUNCHED ITS WEBSITE COVID TEST.GOV AND THE PROGRAM USED FOR THE LAST TWO WINTERS TO SEND COVID TESTS THROUGH THE MAIL. THIS COMES ROUGHLY A WEEK AFTER THE NEW VACCINE ROLLED OUT. EYEWITNESS NEWS REPORTER DARLA MILES WITH MORE. REMEMBER THAT THE SWAB DOES NOT GO INTO YOUR BRAIN. >> IT GOES SIDEWAYS INTO YOUR NOSTRILS AS MUCH AS WE ALL HATE IT. >> STICKING A SWAB UP YOUR NOSE IS MIGHT BECOME A THROWBACK OF THE FREQUENCY OF COVID TESTING THAT TOOK PLACE DURING THE PANDEMIC. >> IT IS VERY NICE TO RECEIVE FREE COVID TESTING JUST IN TIME FOR THIS WINTER, STARTING TODAY. >> COVID TESTING WILL ONCE AGAIN BE FREE. >> AT THIS TIME, YOU ARE FREE BECAUSE THE ECONOMY IS CRAZY RIGHT NOW. >> IT'S MUTATING. IT'S CHANGING. SO CONSEQUENCE DAILY, WE HAVE TO BE ON. WE HAVE TO BE PREPARED. >> THE WHITE HOUSE RESUMING THE PROGRAM. IT SUSPENDED IN AUGUST 2022 FOR FREE. TESTS CAN BE PICKED UP AT A PHARMACY. THE TEST CAN BE ORDERED BY MAIL AND WALK IN. TESTS ARE AVAILABLE AT PARTICIPATING LOCATIONS. DR. JUAN TAPIA MENDOZA OF SOMOS COMMUNITY CARE IN HARLEM TELLS EYEWITNESS NEWS THE PROGRAM HAS BEEN VERY POPULAR AND SUCCESSFUL IN THE PAST. >> IT MAKES PEOPLE MORE WILLING TO BE TESTED, BE MORE WILLING TO BE TESTED MULTIPLE TIMES, ESPECIALLY WHEN THEY CAN DO IT AT HOME THEMSELVES. AS I'M A HIGH RISK PATIENT AND SO I NEED TO HAVE THOSE AVAILABLE TO ME AT ALL TIMES. >> SO I WAS VERY APPRECI TIVE THAT WE HAVE THAT AVAILABLE. >> ACCORDING TO THE NYC DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH, THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE BEING HOSPITALIZED FOR COVID DAILY IS CREEPING UP THE DAILY AVERAGE AS OF JULY 18TH WAS 25 PATIENTS AS OF AUGUST 18TH, 60 PATIENTS, AND THIS MONTH DAILY AVERAGE IS 54 PATIENTS. I LOOKED AT THE ONES I PREVIOUSLY HAD AND REALIZED THEY HAD EXPIRED AND I GOT RID OF THEM. >> AND THEN I FOUND OUT ON A WEBSITE THAT SOME OF THE ONES I DID GET RID OF HAD AN