How to Get Free COVID-19 Tests

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Sept. 26 released a new round of free COVID-19 test kits by mail.

U.S. households can order up to four COVID-19 nasal swab tests, according to the website, COVIDtests.gov. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) that oversees the testing said orders will start shipping for free beginning this week through the U.S. Postal Service.

HHS cautioned that many of its COVID-19 tests have extended expiration dates, so recipients may be able to use COVID-19 tests after the expiration date that is printed on the box. To find out if the test has an extended expiration date, check the FDA’s list of extended expiration dates.

The test can be used even if one does not have COVID-19 systems or whether or not one is up to date on COVID-19 vaccines.

The rapid antigen at-home tests can give results within 30 minutes. Reporting the result—whether negative or positive—helps the department learn how to use those test results effectively. Test results can be reported to public health agencies at MakeMyTestCount.org.

This is the program’s seventh round of distribution. It has delivered more than 900 million free tests directly to U.S. residents since it started in 2021, HHS reported.