Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

You can now get free COVID-19 tests shipped to your house for free thanks to a program from the federal government.

Originally set to go live on Wednesday, the site to order four COVID-19 tests for free went live on Tuesday, Jan. 18.

The program, which goes through the United States Postal Service, allows one order per residential address, but each order has four at-home tests included.

All you have to do is enter your first and last name and a shipping address, then click to check out.

After that, the tests will be shipped for free at some point in late January.

You will not be able to choose which brand of at-home test you receive, but the federal government does guarantee that all tests distributed are FDA-authorized at-home rapid antigen tests.

The federal government urges each resident to order the tests and use them if you begin having COVID-19 symptoms such as fever, sore throat, runny nose or loss of taste or smell.

You can also take a test after exposure, but at least five days after you come into close contact with someone.

They also recommend taking one when you plan to be going to a large gathering, especially if you will be around someone at risk of severe disease.

Access to testing sites is still available at many different pharmacies, doctor’s offices and other places for in-person testing that can do both lab and rapid testing. 

To place an order of four COVID-19 tests, you can visit Special.usps.com/testkits?fbclid=IwAR0d4PVdFVvbsdYD-3NHMuH74i4qK-WgjBhiT93txNvX49dLnd6EvEYM-aY