As the number of COVID-19 cases rises nationwide, the federal government has pledged to ship a third round of rapid, at-home COVID-19 tests to every American household.
Every residential household in America is eligible to receive eight COVID-19 tests via U.S. Postal Service, the Biden administration announced Tuesday, bringing the total number of free tests per address to 16.
Using funds from the American Rescue Act, the Biden administration purchased 1 billion rapid COVID-19 tests at the beginning of 2022, with a promise to distribute one-half of those tests through COVIDtests.gov.
Since the site launched in January, 350 million free tests have arrived to homes nationwide, and to addresses in U.S. territories and military bases. The first round of four tests per household was shipped in January and February, with a second round made available in March.
According to social media posts and other media outlets, COVIDtests.gov began accepting orders for this third round of COVID-19 tests Monday evening, before the federal government announced tests were available.
The Biden administration issued a news release Tuesday afternoon confirming that a third round of tests, at eight tests per household, was available at no charge to Americans through COVIDtests.gov.
The COVID tests can be ordered online at https://www.covid.gov/tests or by phone by dialing 1-800-232-0233 between 8 a.m. and midnight, seven days per week.
One order of eight tests may be placed per household. Tests are free, can be taken anywhere and provide results within 30 minutes, regardless of whether you are vaccinated or not.
