More free covid tests by mail

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We've had to order ones earlier than we thought.

My husband started having symptoms late August 4th (a Thursday and counted as Day 0) just 2 coughs (which immediately got me thinking) and felt tired (although that's not completely abnormal given work). The next morning he wakes me up to say he doesn't think he'll be going into work feels feverish. Sure enough a 102+ fever and coughing (more phlegmy). We went immediately into covid mode. He tested and within 2 mins (probably 1 mins or immediately) the test came back positive. I took a test and it was negative. This is our first known experience with it hitting our house.

He isolated in an extra bedroom (a pseudo guest bedroom and has its own bathroom) and wore an N95 mask (ones we had gotten but yet to use for free from the government program) whenever I needed to talk to him, we still stayed apart while he was talking to me and I wore a N95 mask as well. We used lysol quite a bit (something bought just before the pandemic when we had the flu and not something we normally purchase).

I was able to get a couple of free tests from the county that day (Friday the 5th) and purchased some more from Walmart. If anyone needs to purchase them Walmart at least in our area had a lot of them when months back it was very difficult to come by them. They were just under $20/test kit (BinaxNow). We'll seek reimbursement from the insurance company for the tests we had to purchase. We only had 4 tests before this so I'm glad we were able to get more.

We have yet to receive any shipping info from the government ones so I'm glad I was able to get ones from the county and the store. I tested myself 8/5-8/9 all negative and I don't have any symptoms. We tested my husband on day 5 (8/9) in the evening and it was negative, tested him again morning of 8/10 and it was also negative. So my husband has been able to leave isolation but still wears a mask around me, largely stays in the room he was in and we sleep separately. He has just opted to stay working from home this whole week and I'm glad we have that luxury to do so because it's not possible for everyone. I just tested myself again today (since he's been out of the room even with a mask for a couple of days) and it was negative. I'm still technically not out of the woods but feel confident enough given this current subvariant's expected timeframe. If my husband was still pulling positives I'd continue to test.

As far as the question, what would change? A lot would. It would reset the clock on our household. We'd go from Sunday (the 14th and the 10th day) being the last day he wears a mask around me and we sleep separately to now doing it all over again but for me instead. Not to mention other people, I've worn a mask when I had to go out and get the tests but once I know I'm positive I would not go out. When tests are plentiful enough (which they largely are right now) the advice is to test and test often.

Also the FDA yesterday updated that if you've been exposed and you don't have symptoms to test 3 times in a serial manner rather than the prior recommendation of 2 tests in a serial manner. If symptomatic 2 tests is okay although suggested to get a PCR still if those are negative and you still have covid symptoms. This was updated to hopefully catch more of the people who are testing positive a bit later after a known exposure. It's recommended however to still wait until 5 days after your exposure to begin testing (if still no symptoms) as testing too early can be problematic. For me I was in the same household so that changed things.

 

[Imzadi]

If you still haven't ordered your first or second batch of FREE Covid test kits, this Friday, Sept 2 is the last day. (You can order the second batch right after you finish ordering the first batch, if you hadn't done so before.) The government hasn't replenished funds for more test kits. And they say they will be saving the rest of the tests after Fri, in case there is another upsurge this fall/winter and the surplus of tests will be needed.

https://covidtests.gov

 

[Dakota731]

Post office can’t validate two of my kids’ addresses since they moved in the past few months. They tried to get their second set of tests with no success. When I tried to get my third, it said I already ordered them which neither my husband nor I did. My mom was able to order, but never received hers. This is why I’d never want the government in charge of my healthcare!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Post office can’t validate two of my kids’ addresses since they moved in the past few months. They tried to get their second set of tests with no success. When I tried to get my third, it said I already ordered them which neither my husband nor I did. My mom was able to order, but never received hers. This is why I’d never want the government in charge of my healthcare!

How many tests total have you received? From the information it's 16 tests total per household regardless of who ordered them at the house (meaning if you had multiple people living at your house it's by the address alone).

 

[Imzadi]

Post office can’t validate two of my kids’ addresses since they moved in the past few months. They tried to get their second set of tests with no success. When I tried to get my third, it said I already ordered them which neither my husband nor I did. My mom was able to order, but never received hers. This is why I’d never want the government in charge of my healthcare!

If their apartment has a street address with an apartment, put the apartment number in the same box as the street - NOT in the separate apartment/suite/other box.

Also have then try putting the symbol # before the number. Many of us in NYC had this problem when the program rolled out initially. We had to try every combination possible. For me, what finally worked was the above suggestion.

So my street address filled out looks like:
123 Main St #8765

On the Covid test kit page, there is also a phone number to call if someone is having problems filling in the application. Call 1-800-232-0233.

 

[lanejudy]

From the information it's 16 tests total per household

Hmmm...16 tests total? And this is a 3rd offering? If I recall the first 2 offers were 4 tests each order, so I got 8. Or was it more? Because it won't let me order any more, says my address has reached the limit. Oh well, my insurance will send some if we need them.

 

[mom2rtk]

We go 12. 4 in the first batch, 8 in the next. I can't order any more. Even my daughter's new apartment address at college is being rejected as "listed as a business".

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Hmmm...16 tests total? And this is a 3rd offering? If I recall the first 2 offers were 4 tests each order, so I got 8. Or was it more? Because it won't let me order any more, says my address has reached the limit. Oh well, my insurance will send some if we need them.

That's what the most recent info is saying as far as "how to order your tests before Friday"

"Each household could initially order a batch of four tests. In May, the maximum was increased to 16 tests per household, meaning those who had already received four could order another 12."

"According to the USPS, each residential household is eligible for three rounds of free at-home rapid antigen COVID-19 tests, for a total of 16 kits. Only one person per address will be able to place an order for the free tests, even if you have multiple people living in your home."

 

[mom2rtk]

That's what the most recent info is saying as far as "how to order your tests before Friday"

"Each household could initially order a batch of four tests. In May, the maximum was increased to 16 tests per household, meaning those who had already received four could order another 12."

"According to the USPS, each residential household is eligible for three rounds of free at-home rapid antigen COVID-19 tests, for a total of 16 kits. Only one person per address will be able to place an order for the free tests, even if you have multiple people living in your home."

Doesn't mean it actually worked out that way.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Doesn't mean it actually worked out that way.

I'm just passing along the info

I asked the poster how many they had received over time, just haven't received an answer yet. I don't know if with each successive "you can order more tests" means if you didn't order during that time you lost out or not, that is a possibility though.

 

[Dakota731]

How many tests total have you received? From the information it's 16 tests total per household regardless of who ordered them at the house (meaning if you had multiple people living at your house it's by the address alone).

We all got 8 per household so should be able to get the rest. Many of our neighbors are having issues as well with tests never being received then not being able to reorder.

 

[Dakota731]

If their apartment has a street address with an apartment, put the apartment number in the same box as the street - NOT in the separate apartment/suite/other box.

Also have then try putting the symbol # before the number. Many of us in NYC had this problem when the program rolled out initially. We had to try every combination possible. For me, what finally worked was the above suggestion.

So my street address filled out looks like:
123 Main St #8765

On the Covid test kit page, there is also a phone number to call if someone is having problems filling in the application. Call 1-800-232-0233.

Just tried that now, but error message said can’t validate address though she’s lived there three months. So guess these free tests aren’t too user friendly if someone moves!

 

[Meriweather]

My order was rejected for meeting the maximum for address.....we got 4 the first time and 8 the second.

I'm going by the pharmacy and going to try and get the Medicare ones there

 

[Imzadi]

Just tried that now, but error message said can’t validate address though she’s lived there three months. So guess these free tests aren’t too user friendly if someone moves!

It's saying the address can't be validated, not the person.

Also try putting just the apartment number in the same box as the street name, or different words - do NOT put it in the separate apartment/suite/other box.

These are variations I tried until one worked:

123 Main St apt 8765
123 Main St 8765
123 Main St Rm 8765
123 Main St #8765

 

[Imzadi]

I'm going by the pharmacy and going to try and get the Medicare ones there

The stopping of the free Covid tests are only the ones being sent by mail. They said it doesn't affect getting them free from insurance or other programs. I should have clarified that earlier.

 

[Meriweather]

The stopping of the free Covid tests are only the ones being sent by mail. They said it doesn't affect getting them free from insurance.

I've been meaning to get some anyway.
We're starting to travel more and like to test when we come back

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

We all got 8 per household so should be able to get the rest.

My order was rejected for meeting the maximum for address.....we got 4 the first time and 8 the second.

I checked with my husband since he was the one who did the ordering and had the e-mails for when the tracking info was available.

We've ordered 3 times
1) Jan--4 tests
2) March- 4 tests
3) August- 8 tests (two shipments, two tracking info, delivered at same time)

Total=16 tests

This is just me randomly thinking aloud, IF you ordered in May or beyond when they started sending 8 tests out I wonder if because of this people who ordered it's messing it up. They should have it set up since from May and beyond they've come in two shipments with 4 tests each that they could add it up how many you've already received but let's face it they probably aren't being sophisticated about this unfortunately.

I'm not sure on you Dakota what's going on there but for Meriweather my random shot in the dark is the explanation above, you've received 12 tests already and instead of the system allowing you to be shipped just 1 of the 2 shipments totaling 4 tests to equal 16 it's like keeping the tally together and won't allow you to order more since you'd exceed the 16 allowed (4+8+8=20). Again total random shot in the dark and I'd love for it to just be a random glitch where by the end of this week both of y'all were success.

Can I just reiterate from previous threads and this one this whole thing has been a bungled up mess!

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Many of our neighbors are having issues as well with tests never being received then not being able to reorder.

Ugh that's no good with many of your neighbors. Do you live in a place where there's units or a neighborhood that is just individual houses?

Do you know if your neighbors ever received tracking information?

I ask because
1) they email the tracking information right before they will end up being delivered (like within a few days or so it appears)
and
2) because if they received tracking information but no tests the issue would be the post office which if there's a bunch of people in the same area not getting it that's something really wrong with the post office OR if they didn't receive tracking information it's like their request didn't get picked up by the website to order from.

 

[LuvOrlando]

We've gotten all of ours and always got tracking, I just ordered it and tracking was instantly provided on the finish page.

I agree the address thing could be a sticking point with their system depending on what they use, a few years back our CPA entered a family member's apartment in weird (like # 1234) and we couldn't do Fafsa because it was linked to this, needle in a haystack to figure it out mostly because Fafsa didn't take special characters . Figured it out when we called and needed help getting around it, at any rate never know where the snafu is, best to call.

 

[elgerber]

My order was rejected for meeting the maximum for address.....we got 4 the first time and 8 the second.

I'm going by the pharmacy and going to try and get the Medicare ones there

Interesting. I got 4 and 8, and I ordered my 3rd order a couple of days ago, with no issues. Two order confirms, just like my last order. I guess we will see how many, if any, arrive.