Those free at-home COVID tests you’ve been hearing about are beginning to be a reality. A US Postal Service website is taking ‘free orders’ at usps.com/covidtests .
While COVIDTests.gov was expected to start accepting orders on Wednesday, an “Order free at-home tests” button was added Tuesday, which brings users to usps.com/covidtests to order four at-home free tests.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday the site is in its beta phase to allow troubleshooting.
“We can’t guarantee there won’t be a bug or two,” Psaki said, “but the best tech teams across the administration and the Postal Service are working hard to make this a success.”
COVID-19 tests will start shipping in late January. The Postal Service will only send one set of four free at-home coronavirus tests to valid residential addresses.
Some users immediately identified at least one problem: Orders made by different people living in the same apartment building but in different units were rejected as duplicates, according to some tweets. Americans are supposed to be able to order up to four kits per address. Once ordered, tests are to be mailed within seven to 12 days.
One workaround is to put your apartment number in the street address field, Twitter users are reporting.
A credit card isn’t needed to order the free tests and there is no cost, unlike the insurance reimbursement program that started Saturday where many will have to submit receipts in order to get the tests for free.
The tests are part of the Biden administration’s purchase of 500 million tests last month to help tackle a record surge in infections.
This story was first reported by USA Today.com
