WA's Free COVID Test Program Expands To Allow Monthly Orders

OLYMPIA, WA — The state's free COVID-19 testing portal is opening up to allow Washington households to order up to 10 rapid tests each month for home delivery at no charge. The state Department of Health unveiled its "Say Yes! COVID Test" system in January, offering residents the chance to order up to five at-home tests delivered by Amazon.

The program proved to be very popular, with the initial round of shipments getting claimed in just a few hours. The first deliveries arrived as soon as the next day, and the test ordering portal reopened to new orders twice — once at the end of January and again on Feb. 8.

On Wednesday, DOH announced Washingtonians would be able to place orders for additional test kits every month, including households who received earlier shipments. Lacy Fehrenbach, the state's deputy secretary of health for COVID-19 response, said each order contains five tests and households can order twice per month, while supplies last.

"If you've already ordered from the portal, you can order again," Fehrenbach said Wednesday. "Each kit must be ordered individually. So, order once for five tests, and a second order for five more."

A DOH spokesperson told Patch the program has fulfilled more than 573,000 orders since January, distributing more than 2.5 million tests directly to Washington homes.

Residents can order test kits by entering their zip code and filling out basic details via the online portal.

This article originally appeared on the Seattle Patch