Free COVID-19 tests are now available through a statewide web portal. The Washington state Department of Health launched the website Friday to increase access to free, at-home, rapid antigen tests.
Deputy Health Secretary Lacy Fehrenbach says, so far, Washington has only 650,000 tests in hand out of the 3.5 million promised by the federal government.
“We really are encouraging people to order what they need and consider their fellow Washingtonians because this is, right at the moment, it is a limited supply. It is a scarce resource,” she said at Friday’s news conference.
More test kits are expected to arrive in the state next week. Each kit will contain four or five tests.
To order, go to sayyescovidhometest.org. The site is available in Spanish at sayyescovidhometest.org/casa.html.
Health officials are asking people to be patient and to wait a few days to order if you don't need a test right away. They want to avoid having the website crash due to high demand.
“At a later time, we can always make some adjustments, but right now, we’re really just trying to get them out to wherever somebody is saying that they need a test and they want to order a test,” state Health Secretary Dr. Umair Shah said.
Those who don't have access to the internet can order tests through the state's COVID-19 hotline, 1-800-525-0127.
The state program is separate from the federal government's COVIDtests.gov, from which you can order four at-home tests per residential address.