The days of free Covid tests may soon come to an end. But not before the end of the year, according to Washington health officials.
The Washington Department of Health says at-home Covid tests are useful tools to help people determine whether their fevers, stuffy noses or other symptoms are a result of Covid, the flu or a cold. The tests are also useful before and after holiday gatherings with people you don’t live with.
Officials say if people can continue to get tests for free, they should continue to keep some on hand to monitor their status at home, rather than tap into an overloaded medical system.
The state allows Washington residents to receive as many as 10 free at-home kits each month. You can order them at SayYesCovidHomeTest.org and have them mailed or delivered.
Federal support for Covid tests and vaccines is going away. Private providers may soon be the major distributor, but most won’t give the kits away. They’ll sell them and bill consumers or their health insurance.
The Department of Health says it has distributed about 12.5 million free kits since the start of 2022. It hasn’t said yet when it will stop giving them away.
