Wisconsinites Offered Free COVID-19 Tests Mailed To Their Homes

WISCONSIN — Households across Wisconsin are able to get up to 10 COVID-19 self-tests mailed to them every month under a program from the state Department of Health Services, the agency announced Friday.

The program expansion allows households to get two free kits every month that each contains five rapid antigen tests, according to a news release from the DHS. The tests allow for quick results to help people make decisions about their health and to prevent the spread of the virus to their communities, the news release said.

“It's important that we continue to provide equitable access to COVID-19 testing to stop the spread of this disease,” said DHS Deputy Secretary Deb Standridge. “Ordering test kits through the website is quick, easy, and free for any Wisconsin household, and you do not need health insurance to place an order.”

The program was initially launched in Sept. 2022 with over 1.6 million test kits having been ordered since then, the DHS said. With the expansion, households can order once per month and reorder at the start of every month.

You can order through the Say Yes! COVID Test website, or by calling 211 or 877-947-2211.

Here are some scenarios where the DHS encourages people to use self-tests:

• If you have symptoms of COVID-19.
• You should test within five days if you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19.

It is also important to know what to do if you test positive. The DHS said you should stay at home for at least five full days while separating yourself from others and notifying any close contacts. You should also contact a doctor or the DHS free telehealth service in case you should get a COVID-19 treatment.

The DHS also reminded people that you may need to take multiple tests over the span of a few days if you test negative to make sure it is not a false negative during the early stages of infection.

You can find more information about COVID-19 in Wisconsin through the DHS website.