Do not look now, however a winter wave of COVID-19 infections may very well be upon us in mere weeks. A highly transmissible Omicron variant called XEC is turning into extra prevalent within the US, and new data from the Pandemic Mitigation Collaborative suggests we might see 1.3 million COVID infections per day by Dec. 11, 2024.
In case you stay within the US, you possibly can put together for the upcoming COVID winter wave by ordering free at-home COVID exams from the US Postal Service. Utilizing the COVIDTests.gov web site, US households can as soon as once more order 4 free at-home COVID take a look at kits.
Together with the free exams from USPS, there are nonetheless just a few different methods of receiving free testing for COVID-19. Learn on to search out out the methods you possibly can nonetheless get free COVID testing, in addition to get free COVID therapies.
For extra, study the at-home flu vaccines approved by the FDA and how to tell whether your symptoms are COVID-19, flu or just allergies.
How does the USPS free COVID-19 take a look at program work?
In January 2022, President Joe Biden introduced the launch of CovidTests.gov, an internet site the place households might order 4 free fast antigen COVID-19 exams shipped by the Postal Service. The positioning added 4 extra free exams in March 2022, eight extra in Could 2022, 4 extra in December 2022 and 4 extra once more in September 2023. This new spherical of shipments additionally consists of 4 COVID exams. It is not sure whether or not there will likely be one other spherical of free exams this winter.
In contrast to some sophisticated authorities functions, ordering free exams from the Postal Service is straightforward. It take lower than 2 minutes to finish a brief kind asking on your title and mailing handle, and the exams ought to ship in a couple of week or two. Individuals with out web entry or those that have hassle ordering on-line can request exams utilizing a toll-free cellphone quantity: 800-232-0233.
It is not clear precisely how lengthy the free COVID-19 exams will final, so it is best to get your order in as early as attainable.
How can I order free exams from USPS?
Go to CovidTests.gov after which click on on the blue button studying Order Free At-home Checks, which is able to take you to the ordering web page. You solely want to offer your title and your handle to order your exams. You may also enter an e-mail if you wish to obtain transport notifications. You need not present any credit score or debit card particulars — the exams and the transport are free.
All orders will likely be shipped by way of First Class Package deal Service. Individuals who cannot entry the web site or who’ve hassle ordering on-line ought to have the ability to name 800-232-0233 to order their free exams.
When will my COVID exams arrive?
Prior to now, free COVID exams from USPS have arrived about two weeks after ordering. The exams are usually despatched out inside seven to 12 days and are delivered by USPS inside one to a few days after transport.
What are my different free COVID-19 testing choices?
Except for the Postal Service’s program to ship free COVID exams, you’ve gotten 5 major avenues to search out free COVID-19 testing places throughout the US: HRSA well being facilities, Take a look at to Deal with places, ICATT testing websites, non-public medical insurance and Medicaid or the Youngsters’s Well being Insurance coverage Program. These choices operate equally, however we’ll break down the precise steps to search 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 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 utilize HRSA’s locator tool to discover a middle close to you.
First, choose the language you want to obtain your ends in. 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 to that exact location’s web site and observe 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.
Test to Treat is a federally funded healthcare initiative that gives extra accessible COVID-19 care. This selection 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 search 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 software will show Take a look at to Deal with places in your space. A sliding bar permits you to resize the search radius to seize all the Take a look at to Deal with facilities inside your space.
Inside 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 would possibly must know to get examined. If there’s not an choice to schedule a COVID take a look at on-line by your chosen web site, chances are you’ll must name.
Growing Group Entry to Testing offers COVID testing for the uninsured
ICATT affords free testing to uninsured sufferers who’re exhibiting signs of COVID-19 or who’ve not too long ago been uncovered.
Increasing Community Access to Testing is one other free testing program that you should utilize when you want entry to free COVID-19 testing. ICATT works a bit in a different way than the opposite applications 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. If you’re 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. If you’re insured, you would possibly must pay a charge.
The ICATT locator tool works identical to the opposite locator instruments free of charge COVID testing — enter your handle or your ZIP code to search out ICATT places close to you. There’s a search radius adjuster on this locator to tweak your searches to seize the complete space that you simply need to search.
As soon as you’ve got discovered a location, observe your testing web site’s steps for scheduling your appointment.
What about free COVID exams from medical insurance, Medicare or Medicaid?
On Jan. 10, 2022, President Joe Biden announced that every one medical insurance firms can be required by regulation to offer their clients with eight free COVID-19 exams monthly. That requirement expired with the end of the national public health emergency for COVID-19 on Could 11, 2023.
California law nonetheless requires all well being care suppliers to supply eight free at-home COVID-19 exams monthly to their clients. Exterior that state, you may must examine with your personal medical insurance to study its protection coverage for over-the-counter COVID exams.
Medicare typically does not pay for over-the-counter merchandise like COVID-19 take a look at kits, based on the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. Medicare’s protection of at-home COVID exams ended with the general public well being emergency.
In case you’re enrolled in Medicare Plan B, you continue to have entry to “laboratory-conducted COVID-19 exams” resembling polymerase chain response exams, however you will not be lined for over-the-counter fast antigen exams. When you have well being care protection by Medicaid or the Youngsters’s Well being Insurance coverage Program, you would have acquired free at-home COVID exams by Sept. 30, 2024.
For extra, study how your blood type could make you more susceptible to COVID.
