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Jan. 18, 2022 — People can now have free COVID-19 fast checks delivered on to their houses.
The Biden administration’s new no-cost, at-home testing program launched immediately, a day forward of schedule.
The administration mentioned 500 million checks can be found to be delivered to houses throughout the nation. This accounts for half of the president’s latest pledge to buy 1 billion free at-home COVID-19 checks to distribute to the American public.
On a Jan. 14 name with reporters, senior White Home officers supplied some particulars in regards to the new program.
Right here’s what we all know to date.
How do I order my free checks?
People can go to COVIDtests.gov to order their fast at-home checks. You can even order straight from the U.S. Postal Service web site. After you order, you’ll obtain a affirmation e mail that guarantees to ship monitoring info as soon as your order ships.
What info do I must order the checks?
You solely want your title and residential mailing deal with.
There’s additionally an possibility to offer your e mail deal with to get updates on the standing of your order.
What if somebody wants assist ordering the checks?
There might be a free call-in line for folks needing extra assist, together with these having bother accessing the web, based on White Home officers.
What checks might be obtainable?
There are 9 at-home checks obtainable by FDA emergency use authorization. In accordance with the Continuously Requested Questions part of COVIDtests.gov, “You will be unable to decide on the model you order as a part of this program.”
How lengthy will it take to get the checks as soon as I get them organized?
Checks are anticipated to ship 7 to 12 days after you get them organized.
However White Home officers say that the time-frame will seemingly shorten as this system positive factors steam.
What number of can I order?
There’s a restrict of 4 checks per residential mailing deal with.
For bigger households, White Home officers counsel making an attempt different free testing choices, like visiting COVID-19 testing websites or your native well being heart.
Is that this a one-time alternative?
The White Home doesn’t say, however officers did point out that in case you run out of your 4 free checks, there are various different methods to entry free at-home checks, corresponding to COVID-19 testing websites, pharmacies, and group well being facilities.
The free checks obtainable by COVIDtests.gov are along with an estimated 375 million at-home fast checks in the marketplace within the U.S. this month.
When ought to folks use a fast at-home check?
The CDC and specialists with different public well being teams agree that People ought to think about using at-home fast checks within the following conditions:
- If they start to have signs in line with COVID-19
- At the least 5 days after shut contact with somebody who has COVID
- If somebody is indoors with a gaggle of people who find themselves susceptible to extreme illness or are unvaccinated
Are at-home fast checks correct?
The U.S. Division of Well being and Human Providers and different federal officers confirmed by research that every one checks distributed by this program can detect the Omicron variant. These companies additionally confirmed that their efficiency is in line with the FDA’s emergency use authorization.
Is the web site designed to deal with excessive demand?
After the unique web site to enroll in medical health insurance underneath the Inexpensive Care Act crashed repeatedly at launch, the federal government says it has ready for prime demand for ordering at-home fast checks.
The U.S. Digital Service (USDS), a company based after Healthcare.gov, has partnered with the Postal Service to plan for the launch.
The Postal Service has expanded its staffing, much like what’s executed through the holidays.
All orders within the continental United States might be shipped by first-class mail, with shipments to Alaska, Hawaii, U.S. territories, and army and abroad addresses despatched by precedence mail.
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