TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — You can now order rapid at-home COVID-19 test kits from the federal government. It’s as simple as entering your name and address on covidtests.gov.
After a year of long waits, rapid tests often nowhere to be found and many pharmacies and major retailers out of stock, the White House began taking orders for free at home COVID tests on Tuesday.
“Every website launch in our view comes with risk, we can’t guarantee there won’t be a bug or two,” said White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki.
The federal government quietly launched the site yesterday ahead of schedule to work out any potential kinks.
Each household can request four rapid antigen tests for free. The orders are expected to ship in seven to 12 days.
The Biden administration has secured 420 million tests. Eventually, the White House plans to distribute 1 billion of these tests to homes.
“I would probably do it the day I was going to visit grandma,” said Dr. Joseph Perno, with Johns Hopkins All Children’s Hospital.
Dr. Perno said you should use the tests if:
– You have COVID-19 symptoms, or
– It’s been at least 5 days after close contact with someone who has the virus, and
– If you’re gathering indoors with a high-risk group or people who are unvaccinated.
“These are typically nasal swabs where the individual will take the swab and put it in the middle part of their nose, it’s not the one that needs to go way back where it feels like it’s touching your brain,” said Dr. Perno.
