The White House is relaunching its COVID-19 home testing program on Thursday as part of preparations for a wintertime surge of cases.

The big picture: The administration suspended the program in September after distributing more than 600 million tests, in order to ensure there would be enough tests to meet future needs.

• Officials reopened the website COVIDTests.gov on Thursday for a limited round of ordering.
• Households can obtain four free at-home tests, which will be mailed for free starting the week of Dec. 19.

Driving the news: COVID cases are rising across the country, driven by new strains capable of thwarting immune defenses.

• With mandates largely out of the picture, the administration is pushing out more free tests by mail and to schools, community health centers and long-term care facilities.
• Its "winter preparedness plan" also envisions working with states to increase sluggish vaccination rates, including with pop up or mobile vaccination sites.
• The administration also is pre-positioning masks and other protective gear and making contingencies if health systems become overwhelmed and need help with staffing.
• An administration official expressed confidence there is enough of the antiviral Paxlovid on hand for the forseeable future. The government already has distributed about 6 million doses of Pfizer's pill.

Of note: The administration redistributed funding left from the American Rescue Plan to buy more at-home tests, the official said.

• Some states and local governments continue to offer free tests but others have suspended purchases.