The Say Yes! COVID Test website has officially launched as of Sept. 1, 2022. The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) has created these resources for Wisconsinites. It allows Wisconsin residents to get free at-home rapid COVID-19 tests delivered directly to them.

Say Yes! COVID Test program

The website allows people to place an order for a package of five rapid antigen COVID-19 tests at no cost. Initial supplies will allow each household to order one package that will arrive in 1-2 weeks. The Say Yes! COVID Test program is funded in part through the American Rescue Plan and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention funds.

The Say Yes! COVID Test communities are identified based on high local infection rates, public availability of accurate COVID-19 tracking data, existing community relationships through the National Institutes of Health’s (NIH) Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics Underserved Populations (RADx-UP) program, and local infrastructure to support the project. Eligibility differs by community.
Say Yes! COVID Test website FAQ

“It is critical for Wisconsinites to have access to a COVID-19 test when they need one, and this program delivers tests right to their door,” said DHS Secretary-designee Karen Timberlake about the Say Yes! COVID Test program. “We encourage all Wisconsin households to have COVID-19 self-tests on hand to protect themselves and those around them.”

Detecting COVID-19

Rapid tests provide answers to whether someone has the virus or not. To obtain reliable results and help stop the spread of COVID-19, it is important to know when to take a test. Anyone experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 should take a test to determine their status.

“Continuing to support equitable access to COVID-19 testing remains a top priority,” said DHS Deputy Secretary Deb Standridge. “Rapid results from a self-test allow people to test for COVID-19 at home and make decisions that will help keep them and those around them safe.”

If you are positive for COVID-19, stay home, separate yourself from others, and notify your close contacts who were exposed. Contact a doctor, community health center, or pharmacy to see if COVID-19 treatments may be recommended for you.

Additional ways to test

In addition to the Say Yes! COVID Test program, Wisconsinites can access a COVID-19 test by:

Purchasing self-tests through pharmacies, retail outlets, or online.
- Self-tests are widely available at pharmacies and other retail stores across the state.
Using health insurance, Medicaid or Medicare plans to cover the cost of self-tests.
- Private insurers and some Medicare plans continue to cover the cost of eight rapid COVID-19 tests per member each month. Members of BadgerCare Plus and most Wisconsin Medicaid programs can also receive COVID-19 tests from Medicaid-enrolled pharmacies using their ForwardHealth ID card. People are encouraged to contact their health insurance program for more information.
Visiting a free local community testing site. There are currently over 500 community testing sites across the state.
Contacting a health care provider. Your local or tribal health department, primary health care provider, or community health center can help find a test near you.

DHS has also launched different programs to provide local and tribal health departments, K-12 schools, and shelters with access to self-tests for distribution to the populations they serve. Through these programs, nearly 464,000 self-tests have been made available. Test kits continue to be ordered and distributed to these entities for distribution.

COVID-19 News

The Racine County Eye and Kenosha Lens is committed to publishing the most current and accurate information regarding the COVID-19 pandemic in our Coronavirus section. View both the Racine County COVID-19 Dashboard and Kenosha County COVID-19 Dashboard offering real-time (updated Monday – Friday) statistical reporting for Racine and Kenosha Counties. Subscribe today to stay up-to-date with local news.