Passing out free COVID-19 rapid tests.Photo: JOSEPH PREZIOSO/AFP via Getty Images
All Americans are now able torequest free rapid COVID-19 tests sent directly to their homes, a day earlier than planned.
As of Tuesday, each household in the U.S. can order up to four rapid test kits atcovidtests.gov.
“Every home in the U.S. can soon order 4 free at-home COVID-19 tests. The tests will be completely free — there are no shipping costs and you don’t need to enter a credit card number,” a statement on the website reads.
In order to receive the free tests, users will be asked for their names and addresses, and will receive the tests in seven to 12 days.
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“We’re not saying we’re stopping there,” an administration official said of the first 500 million tests during a conference call, perReuters.
The administration also plans to also launch a phone line to help people who do not have access to the Internet and need to order tests.
The decision to send tests directly to Americans comes after the Biden administration was criticized for the lack of available tests when thehighly-contagious omicron variantstarted spreading in early December. While other countries, like the United Kingdom and Singapore, had readily available and free tests for citizens, Americans were scrambling to find them at all with most drugstores sold out.
Along with the four free tests, as of Jan. 15, private health insurance companies are now required to cover up to eight at-home tests a month. However, Americans will have to file a reimbursement claim through their provider.
The United States is currently dealing withrecord high cases and hospitalizationsamid the omicron surge.
As of Jan. 17, the U.S. is seeing an average of 801,903 new COVID-19 cases a day, according toThe New York Times, and 156,560 Americans are currently hospitalized with the virus.
As information about thecoronavirus pandemicrapidly changes, PEOPLE is committed to providing the most recent data in our coverage. Some of the information in this story may have changed after publication. For the latest on COVID-19, readers are encouraged to use online resources from theCDC,WHOandlocal public health departments.PEOPLE has partnered with GoFundMeto raise money for the COVID-19 Relief Fund, a GoFundMe.org fundraiser to support everything from frontline responders to families in need, as well as organizations helping communities. For more information or to donate, clickhere.
source: people.com
