The season of free COVID assessments from the US Postal Service is ending a bit of earlier than winter does. The devoted USPS web site for ordering free COVID-19 fast antigen assessments from the federal government added an ominous discover on Monday: The location will cease accepting orders for COVID-19 assessments this Friday, March 8.
Learn extra: Are Your COVID Assessments Actually Expired? How one can Discover Out
On and off since January 2022, the US Postal Service has been taking orders without spending a dime COVID-19 assessments. And proper now you may nonetheless place an order for 4 extra free COVID assessments, or eight assessments should you did not order any through the earlier spherical final September.
This announcement comes on the heels of the CDC shifting its official COVID isolation pointers. As a substitute of the everyday 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 get free COVID assessments and to study different methods to get free COVID testing, remedy and vaccines.
For extra, this is what to find out about lengthy COVID, and this is inform if it is COVID, allergic reactions or one thing else.
What’s the free USPS COVID-19 take a look at program?
In January 2022, President Joe Biden introduced the launch of CovidTests.gov, a web site the place households might order 4 free fast antigen COVID-19 assessments shipped by USPS. The location 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 fast antigen assessments per US family within the newest batch for this winter season. If you have not ordered any assessments from the most recent batch, you may obtain all eight should you organize them from the Postal Service by Friday, March 8.
Not like some sophisticated authorities purposes, ordering free assessments from the Postal Service is straightforward. It takes lower than two minutes to finish a brief type that asks on your identify and mailing handle, and the assessments ship in every week or two. Folks 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 number of bits of knowledge 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. Here is get your at-home fast antigen take a look at kits.
1. Go to particular.USPS.com/testkits. You can too get there through covidtests.gov.
2. Enter your contact particulars and transport info.
3. Click on Examine Out Now.
4. Confirm that your info is appropriate and choose Place My Order.
All orders might 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 take a look at 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 3 days of transport.
What are my different free testing choices?
Other than the assessments from the Postal Service, you’ve gotten three major 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 precise steps to seek out your nearest free testing location.
HRSA well being facilities supply free COVID-19 testing
HRSA well being facilities supply free COVID-19 testing.
The Well being Assets and Providers 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 software to discover a heart close to you.
First, choose the language you want to obtain your leads to. Then merely enter the placement you want to search into the field labeled Location. The locator additionally means that you can widen your search radius, so you may see all of the choices your space has to supply.
As soon as you have discovered a middle that works for you, click on by way of to that individual location’s web site and comply with their particular directions for acquiring a free COVID-19 take a look at.
Take a look at to Deal with places have COVID testing and drugs
The Take a look at to Deal with program makes COVID testing and therapeutics extra accessible.
Take a look at to Deal with 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 software that you should utilize to seek out an eligible Take a look at to Deal with heart close to you.
The Take a look at to Deal with heart locator works like the opposite COVID testing search instruments. Enter your location into the search bar and the software will show Take a look at to Deal with places in your space. A sliding bar allows you to resize the search radius to seize all the Take a look at to Deal with facilities inside your space.
Throughout the Take a look at to Deal with locator outcomes, you’ll see every location’s handle, which COVID-19 therapeutics they provide and different particular directions you may must know to get examined. If there’s not an choice to schedule a COVID take a look at on-line by way of your chosen web site, it’s possible you’ll must name.
Rising Group Entry to Testing supplies COVID testing for the uninsured
ICATT presents free testing to uninsured sufferers who’re displaying signs of COVID-19 or who’ve not too long ago been uncovered.
Rising Group Entry to Testing, or ICATT, is one other free testing program that you should utilize should you want entry to free COVID-19 testing. ICATT works a bit otherwise than the opposite packages on this record.
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 take a look at 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 web site, you’ll not must pay on your take a look at. In case you are insured, you may must pay a price.
The ICATT locator software works identical to the opposite locator instruments without spending a dime COVID testing — enter your handle 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 wish to search.
As soon as you have discovered a location, comply with your testing web site’s steps for scheduling your appointment.
How can I get free COVID-19 vaccines and booster pictures?
COVID-19 vaccines and boosters are an vital safety in opposition to contracting or getting significantly unwell from the virus. Because the CDC has really helpful up to date COVID-19 booster pictures for everybody 6 months or older, you could be questioning discover free COVID-19 vaccines.
If you do not have insurance coverage or a well being supplier, don’t fret. The Division of Well being and Human Providers web site says, “COVID-19 vaccines are 100% free for each particular person residing in america.”
On Sept. 14, the Division of Well being and Human Providers launched the Bridge Entry 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’ll 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 supply no-cost vaccines.
For extra, study how your blood sort might make you extra prone to COVID and every thing to know in regards to the up to date 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.