The season of free COVID assessments from the US Postal Service involves an in depth Friday. The dedicated USPS site for ordering free COVID-19 rapid antigen tests from the federal government added an ominous discover on Monday: The positioning will cease accepting orders for COVID-19 assessments on March 8.
On and off since January 2022, the US Postal Service has been taking orders at no cost COVID-19 assessments. And proper now you possibly can still place an order for four more free COVID tests, or eight assessments if you happen to did not order any throughout the earlier spherical final September.
Learn extra: Are Your COVID Tests Really Expired? How to Find Out
This announcement comes on the heels of the CDC shifting its official COVID isolation tips. As a substitute of the standard five-day isolation interval, the CDC now recommends that you just be fever-free and see your signs enhance for twenty-four hours earlier than returning to your regular actions.
Learn on to seek out out how one can order your free COVID assessments by way of the USPS, find out about different methods you may get free COVID testing as soon as this system involves an in depth and learn how to get your arms on free therapies and vaccines.
For extra, here is what to find out about long COVID, and here is how to tell if it’s COVID, allergies or something else.
What’s the free USPS COVID-19 check program?
In January 2022, President Joe Biden introduced the launch of CovidTests.gov, an internet site the place households may order 4 free speedy antigen COVID-19 assessments shipped by USPS. The positioning added a number of extra free assessments by way of the months of 2022, after which once more this previous winter, beginning on Sept. 25, 2023.
The addition of 4 extra free assessments on Nov. 20 introduced a complete of eight speedy antigen assessments per US family within the newest batch for this winter season. If you have not ordered any assessments from the newest batch, you possibly can obtain all eight if you happen to organize them from the Postal Service by Friday, March 8.
In contrast to some sophisticated authorities functions, ordering free tests from the Postal Service is easy. It takes lower than two minutes to finish a brief type that asks on your title and mailing deal with, and the assessments ship in every week or two. Individuals with out web entry or people who’ve hassle ordering on-line can request assessments utilizing a toll-free cellphone quantity: 800-232-0233.
How do I order free COVID assessments from the Submit Workplace?
You solely want to supply a couple of bits of data to get your free COVID assessments. You will not be requested to supply any credit score or debit card particulars, as each the assessments and the transport are free. This is learn how to get your at-home speedy antigen check kits.
1. Go to special.USPS.com/testkits. You may as well get there through covidtests.gov.
2. Enter your contact particulars and transport data.
3. Click on Verify Out Now.
4. Confirm that your data is right and choose Place My Order.
All orders shall be shipped through First Class Bundle Service.
Once more, individuals who cannot entry the web site or who’ve hassle ordering on-line can name 800-232-0233 to order their free assessments.
When will my check kits arrive?
Assessments are usually despatched out inside seven to 12 days of an order being efficiently positioned and are delivered by the Postal Service inside one to a few days of transport.
What are my different free testing choices?
Other than the assessments from the Postal Service, you might have three primary avenues to seek out free COVID-19 testing places throughout the US: HRSA well being facilities, Take a look at to Deal with places and ICATT testing websites. These choices operate equally, however we’ll break down the particular steps to seek out your nearest free testing location.
HRSA well being facilities provide free COVID-19 testing
HRSA well being facilities provide free COVID-19 testing.
The Health Resources and Services Administration funds well being facilities throughout the US. At these HRSA well being facilities, it is possible for you to to obtain free COVID-19 testing. You should use HRSA’s locator tool to discover a middle close to you.
First, choose the language you want to obtain your leads to. Then merely enter the situation you want to search into the field labeled Location. The locator additionally permits you to widen your search radius, so you possibly can see all of the choices your space has to supply.
As soon as you’ve got discovered a middle that works for you, click on by way of to that specific location’s web site and comply with their particular directions for acquiring a free COVID-19 check.
Take a look at to Deal with places have COVID testing and medication
The Take a look at to Deal with program makes COVID testing and therapeutics extra accessible.
Test to Treat is a federally funded well being care initiative that gives extra accessible COVID-19 care. This feature differs from the others on this article as you should utilize the Take a look at to Deal with facilities to obtain each COVID testing and remedy for infections. Like the opposite COVID-19 free testing choices, Take a look at to Deal with has a locator device that you should utilize to seek out an eligible Take a look at to Deal with middle close to you.
The Test to Treat center locator works like the opposite COVID testing search instruments. Enter your location into the search bar and the device will show Take a look at to Deal with places in your space. A sliding bar enables you to resize the search radius to seize the entire Take a look at to Deal with facilities inside your space.
Inside the Take a look at to Deal with locator outcomes, you can see every location’s deal with, which COVID-19 therapeutics they provide and different particular directions you would possibly have to know to get examined. If there’s not an choice to schedule a COVID check on-line by way of your chosen website, you might have to name.
Rising Neighborhood Entry to Testing supplies COVID testing for the uninsured
ICATT gives free testing to uninsured sufferers who’re displaying signs of COVID-19 or who’ve just lately been uncovered.
Increasing Community Access to Testing, or ICATT, is one other free testing program that you should utilize if you happen to want entry to free COVID-19 testing. ICATT works a bit otherwise than the opposite applications on this listing.
ICATT is particularly designed for uninsured sufferers who’ve been uncovered to COVID-19 or are experiencing signs of COVID-19. Anybody can get an ICATT check at one of many program’s places, no matter insurance coverage standing. In case you are uninsured and also you want to be examined at an ICATT-eligible website, you’ll not have to pay on your check. In case you are insured, you would possibly have to pay a charge.
The ICATT locator tool works similar to the opposite locator instruments at no cost COVID testing — enter your deal with or your ZIP code to seek out ICATT places close to you. There’s a search radius adjuster on this locator to tweak your searches to seize your entire space that you just need to search.
As soon as you’ve got discovered a location, comply with your testing website’s steps for scheduling your appointment.
How can I get free COVID-19 vaccines and booster photographs?
COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are an essential safety towards contracting or getting significantly in poor health from the virus. For the reason that CDC has recommended updated COVID-19 booster shots for everybody 6 months or older, you may be questioning learn how to discover free COVID-19 vaccines.
If you do not have insurance coverage or a well being supplier, don’t be concerned. The Department of Health and Human Services website says, “COVID-19 vaccines are 100% free for each particular person dwelling in the USA.”
On Sept. 14, the Division of Well being and Human Companies launched the Bridge Access Program, which is able to proceed to supply free vaccines to those that are uninsured by way of native well being departments and HRSA facilities. CDC has additionally partnered with “greater than 20,000 retail pharmacy places nationwide” to supply free vaccines by modifying the present ICATT program talked about above.
The Bridge Entry Program will finish in December 2024, however till then, you can entry free COVID-19 vaccines. To make use of it, go to vaccines.gov, select which shot you need, after which click on the “search” button. On the subsequent web page, choose the choice that claims “Bridge Entry Program Participant” to indicate which places provide no-cost vaccines.
For extra, be taught how your blood type could make you more susceptible to COVID and everything to know about the updated COVID-19 boosters.
Correction, Sept. 21, 2023: An earlier model of this story contained incorrect details about the price of vaccines for folks with out insurance coverage. It has been up to date with details about how folks can get free vaccines.
