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Jan. 18, 2022 — Individuals can now have free COVID-19 fast assessments delivered on to their properties.
The Biden administration’s new no-cost, at-home testing program launched at present, a day forward of schedule.
The administration stated 500 million assessments can be found to be delivered to properties throughout the nation. This accounts for half of the president’s latest pledge to buy 1 billion free at-home COVID-19 assessments to distribute to the American public.
On a Jan. 14 name with reporters, senior White Home officers provided some particulars in regards to the new program.
Right here’s what we all know thus far.
How do I order my free assessments?
Individuals can go to COVIDtests.gov to order their fast at-home assessments. You can too order instantly 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 have to order the assessments?
You solely want your title and residential mailing handle.
There may be additionally an choice to offer your e-mail handle to get updates on the standing of your order.
What if somebody wants assist ordering the assessments?
There will probably be a free call-in line for individuals needing extra assist, together with these having bother accessing the web, in line with White Home officers.
What assessments will probably be accessible?
There are 9 at-home assessments accessible by FDA emergency use authorization. In response to the Steadily Requested Questions part of COVIDtests.gov, “You won’t be able to decide on the model you order as a part of this program.”
How lengthy will it take to get the assessments as soon as I organize them?
Exams are anticipated to ship 7 to 12 days after you organize them.
However White Home officers say that the timeframe will doubtless shorten as this system positive factors steam.
What number of can I order?
There’s a restrict of 4 assessments per residential mailing handle.
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 the event you run out of your 4 free assessments, there are various different methods to entry free at-home assessments, corresponding to COVID-19 testing websites, pharmacies, and group well being facilities.
The free assessments accessible by COVIDtests.gov are along with an estimated 375 million at-home fast assessments available on the market within the U.S. this month.
When ought to individuals use a fast at-home take a look at?
The CDC and consultants with different public well being teams agree that Individuals ought to think about using at-home fast assessments within the following conditions:
- If they start to have signs according to COVID-19
- At the very least 5 days after shut contact with somebody who has COVID
- If somebody is indoors with a gaggle of people who find themselves prone to extreme illness or are unvaccinated
Are at-home fast assessments correct?
The U.S. Division of Well being and Human Providers and different federal officers confirmed by research that every one assessments distributed by this program can detect the Omicron variant. These businesses additionally confirmed that their efficiency is according to the FDA’s emergency use authorization.
Is the web site designed to deal with excessive demand?
After the unique web site to join medical insurance below the Reasonably priced Care Act crashed repeatedly at launch, the federal government says it has ready for top demand for ordering at-home fast assessments.
The U.S. Digital Service (USDS), a corporation based after Healthcare.gov, has partnered with the Postal Service to plan for the launch.
The Postal Service has expanded its staffing, just like what’s achieved throughout the holidays.
All orders within the continental United States will probably 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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