At-home COVID test website: On the new federal government website, some Americans will be able to request free coronavirus testing a day early.
While COVIDTests.gov was set to begin accepting orders on Wednesday, a button to “Obtain free at-home testing” was added to usps.com/covidtests on Tuesday, allowing customers to order four at-home free tests.
Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, said Tuesday that the site is still in beta mode, which allows for troubleshooting.
“We can’t promise there won’t be a problem or two,” Psaki acknowledged, “but the best tech teams across the administration and the Postal Service are working hard to make this a success.”
“COVID-19 tests will begin shipping in late January,” a notice on the site told USA TODAY. According to the website, the USPS will only mail one set of four free at-home coronavirus testing to eligible residential addresses.
On Tuesday, a statement was put on the website stating that the site is now unavailable “We want to have the site up and running as soon as possible so we can test it before our formal debut tomorrow. Every residential address in the United States has been tested. If you run into any unexpected problems, please come back tomorrow.”
COVID test kits from the United States Postal Service
According to other tweets, orders placed by separate people living in the same apartment complex but in different flats were rejected as duplicates. Each location in the United States is meant to be able to order up to four kits. Tests are supposed to arrive in seven to twelve days after they’ve been requested.
According to Twitter users, one workaround is to include your apartment number in the street address field.
There is no need for a credit card to request the free tests, and there is no payment, unlike the insurance reimbursement scheme, which began Saturday and requires many people to provide receipts in order to receive free tests.
The tests are part of a 500 million test order placed by the Biden administration last month to help combat an unprecedented rise in illnesses.
Online government traffic is driven by a free COVID test website
According to analytics.usa.gov, the early debut of the test ordering website accounted for more than half of all federal website traffic on Tuesday.
COVIDtests.gov had approximately 9 million pageviews in the last seven days as of 3 p.m. ET Tuesday, according to the analytics website.
How to Find COVID Tests at Home
If you’re looking for an at-home exam right now, it can seem impossible.
In the face of continuous shortages, however, with some tools, perseverance, and luck, testing kits can be found in stores and online.
Some people are employing the same strategies as those employed to score the hard-to-find PS5 and Xbox Series X video game consoles: Following Twitter and other media accounts that send out notifications when the tests are available again.
Consumers can also be notified when new tests are available via apps and websites
After observing how difficult it was to obtain at-home exams, Eli Coustan, a 14-year-old from the Evanston neighbourhood of Chicago, launched his website Findacovidtest.org at the end of December.
“I started ILVaccine.org in February 2021 after seeing how difficult it was for my grandparents to get appointments,” Eli told USA TODAY. “I had created a site to find vaccines earlier in the pandemic and knew that I would be able to use a lot of similar technology to create something to find at-home tests you can order online and have shipped.”
Your results may vary, but here are some pointers to help you locate at-home coronavirus testing and other limited-supply items.
Alerts when something is in stock
Alerts or notifications, whether from store applications or third-party sites or apps, are one of the greatest ways to identify available inventory as it restocks when buying online.
Target’s app offers in-stock alerts that you may sign up for. Notifications can be sent by apps, including Hot Stock. The app is free, but you may pay $5.49 to receive notifications for up to ten different products.
Eli claims that his site refreshes every five to ten minutes automatically, and that users can sign up for text notifications.
You can search for coronavirus tests online at Amazon, CVS, Costco, Walgreens, Walmart, Target, Sam’s Club, and other retailers, and you can choose the brand of test you want.
Apps and Google Shopping can be used to check in-store test inventory
You can get a better understanding of store inventory by checking store websites or apps before going to a brick-and-mortar Target, Walmart, or another retailer. However, just like ordering online, inventory can swiftly change.
Google Shopping also allows customers to verify in-store inventory from the comfort of their own homes. Select the “in stock” filter to see only the nearby stores that have the goods on their shelves. Find local retailers that carry the things you’re looking for with Google Shopping.
For COVID test updates, follow the restock Twitter accounts.
Several PS5 restock accounts on Twitter have started to broadcast notifications about the coronavirus test availability, according to a Vice piece published Thursday.
For test updates, follow these three Twitter accounts:
How to get free COVID tests at home while you have insurance
As on Saturday, insurance companies will cover over-the-counter tests, providing new impetus to find tests. After insurance reimbursement, many will be free.
Over-the-counter testing must be covered by private health insurers at a cost of up to $12 per test. Consumers can either receive the testing kits for free at participating pharmacies set up by their plan or submit receipts to their insurance carrier for reimbursement.
Here’s where you can learn more about how to seek insurance reimbursement.
Maureen Groppe and Courtney Subramanian of USA TODAY and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
Kelly Tyko, a reporter for USA TODAY, can be found on Twitter at @KellyTyko. Join our Shopping Ninjas Facebook group for the latest shopping news, tips, and discounts.
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