First you could request four free rapid tests from the government. Then you could request four more. Now, there’s a third round of offerings, and this time you’ll get eight tests, for a grand total of 16 per household. Now we’re getting somewhere.
To get your new batch of tests, go to the United States Postal Service’s test kit ordering page (or to covidtests.gov, which will redirect you there), and fill in your name and address. There’s no cost for the kits and no charge for shipping. Fill it out and you’ll get tracking numbers for two four-test packages (I suppose it’s still easiest for them to deal in sets of four.)
You can still get tests from the earlier rounds of offerings as well. So if you haven’t gotten any of your free tests from the U.S. government, fill out the form three times. (After you make your first order, the page will invite you to do so.)
These are rapid antigen tests, the kind where you rub a swab inside your nostrils and look for two lines on a test card. They can be from any of a variety of brands, as the government has purchased tests from several manufacturers to meet demand.
Meanwhile, funding for more tests and vaccines is stalling in Congress, and President Biden has urged local governments to spend their COVID relief money on crime prevention. COVID tests used to be free at many in-person locations, but now the government urges people to contact health centers and pharmacies about the “availability of low or no-cost testing.” Anthony Fauci, the White House’s chief medical advisor, said back in April that we are “out of the pandemic phase,” but COVID case numbers are starting to increase again, even as clinic testing is harder to access and at-home tests aren’t being reflected in the official numbers. But hey, at least you won’t have to pay for a few of the tests you’ll undoubtedly be needing.
