Half of Free COVID-19 Tests Still Available

As workplaces drop their mask mandates, testing will be crucial to keep employees infected with COVID-19 from spreading it to fellow workers. Let your employees know free COVID-19 tests are still available from the U.S. federal government.

Almost half of the 500 million free COVID-19 tests the government made available to the public still have not been claimed, the Associated Press reports. One the first day of the test giveaway in January, the website where people order the test had more than 45 million orders. Now the website is receiving fewer than 100,000 orders a day.

Americans have placed 68 million orders for test packages, which leaves about 46% of the stock still available. The tests come in packages of four per household and are delivered by the U.S. Postal Service.

Overall, COVID-19 testing has slowed to a fraction of what it was at the beginning of the year, CNN reports. In mid-January, as daily case counts reached their peak due to the Omicron variant, the U.S. processed about 2.5 million tests daily. Now, there are about 670,000 tests coming through each day, according to data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

“If infection control is still our priority, testing is central,” said Dr. Leanna Wen, a former Baltimore health commissioner and commentator on the pandemic.

Infection control specialists say tests are a crucial tool for people wondering whether their symptoms are due to COVID-19, the flu, or a cold. Having a test on hand will help them make decisions about whether to wear a mask or stay home from work.

The US Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends COVID-19 testing:

• If you have COVID-19 symptoms
• If you have known or suspected close contact with the coronavirus
• Before or after travel
• For screening in schools, workplaces, etc.
• When asked by a health care professional or public health official.