Kokua Line: Can we order more free COVID tests?

Question: Can we get more COVID-19 tests mailed for free? Also, regarding the booster, are we supposed to get the second shot or not?

Answer: Yes, U.S. residential households can now order a third round of free, at-home tests from the federal government, via covid.gov/tests. Each order will include eight rapid antigen tests, up from the four tests included in rounds one and two. Each order will be mailed free, in two separate packages, the website says. If you want to receive shipping notifications, include your email address in your order.

People who lack internet access can call 800-232-0233 to place their order (TTY 888-720-7489).

With the addition of the third round, this program provides a total of 16 self-tests per U.S. residential address. The over-the-counter antigen tests provide results within 30 minutes. They are not PCR tests; no lab drop-off is required.

As for COVID-19 booster shots, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention spells out the rules and recommendations at 808ne.ws/boost.

The CDC recommends a first booster shot for everyone 12 and up, most commonly five months after completing the primary vaccine series, although certain people should get it sooner than that. Eligibility for a second booster shot — four months after the first booster — is limited to adults 50 and older; people 12 years and older who are moderately or severely immunocompromised; and people who got two doses (one primary dose and one booster) of Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen vaccine. “If you are eligible, it is up to you whether to get a second booster right now,” the CDC says, although it offers factors to consider.

You might want to wait if you had COVID-19 within the past three months or if you believe getting the second booster now would reduce your willingness to get another shot later. “A second booster may be more important in fall of 2022, or if a new vaccine for a future COVID-19 variant becomes available,” the CDC says.

On the other hand, eligible people who are high risk of severe illness, or who live with someone who is, might prefer to get the second booster now. Risk factors include being moderately or severely immunocompromised; being more likely to be exposed to COVID-19 due to your job, where you live or other factors; living in a area with medium to high COVID-19 community levels; or living with someone who is unvaccinated, the CDC says.

Last, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday authorized a booster shot of Pfizer-BioNTech COVID-19 vaccine for children ages 5 to 11 who completed their primary vaccine series at least five months ago. The CDC is likely to recommend the booster dose after an advisory committee meets Thursday to discuss it, The New York Times reported.

Q: Auwe. This crunch in road-test appointments happens every summer, even though it’s predictable that high school students will need to get their driver’s license then. The city must do more to fix this problem.

A: The city started cracking down on no-shows Monday, and says that should eventually halve the wait time for a road-test appointment, which is now about four months. There are about 900 road-test appointments reserved on Oahu every week, and roughly 17% of the people don’t show up, leaving about 155 slots unused, according to Honolulu County’s Department of Customer Services.

To combat this problem, no-shows for road tests will be prohibited from making another appointment for 14 days and will forfeit the $8 they paid to make the appointment, the department said.

Road test applicants are expected to arrive at least 30 minutes before their appointment time. Anyone who is more than five minutes late will be considered a no-show, the department said.

For more information or to schedule a road test, go to honoluluroadtest.org.

Write to Kokua Line at Honolulu Star-Advertiser, 500 Ala Moana Blvd., Suite 7-500, Honolulu, HI 96813; call 808-529-4773; or email kokualine@staradvertiser.com.