MADISON — Free, at-home rapid COVID-19 tests are now available to Wisconsin residents through the state-supported Say Yes! COVID Test program. All state households are eligible to place an order every month for one free test kit that contains five rapid antigen COVID-19 tests
To order a test kit, visit the Say Yes! COVID Test website. The tests will be sent directly to your home by mail.
“With the holidays coming up, we want to give Wisconsinites the tools they need to safely celebrate with their loved ones,” said Karen Timberlake, Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) secretary-designee. “These free self-tests are delivered right to the door, allowing people to take a COVID-19 test at home and make decisions that will keep those around them safe.”
Testing helps people know if they have COVID-19 and if they need to take actions that will help limit the chance of spreading the virus to those around them by wearing a mask around others and staying home for five days as recommended by the CDC. In addition to the Say Yes! COVID Test program, Wisconsinites can access a COVID-19 test by:
- Visiting a community testing site. There are currently more than 500 community testing sites across the state, many of which offer free COVID-19 testing.
- Purchasing self-tests through pharmacies, retail outlets, or online.
- Using health insurance, Medicaid or Medicare plans to cover the cost of purchasing additional 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 provider for more information.
- Contacting a health care provider.
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 immediately. Everyone, regardless of vaccination status, should take a COVID-19 test five days after being exposed to someone with COVID-19.
If you test positive with a COVID-19 self-test, stay home for at least five days, separate yourself from others, and notify your close contacts. Contact a doctor, community health center, pharmacy, or the DHS free telehealth service to see if COVID-19 treatments may be recommended for you. Call the telehealth service number at 833-273-6330 or start the process online.
This fall, DHS reached the milestone of distributing 11 million COVID-19 tests since the start of the pandemic. This number does not include the 760,000 self-tests sent to 152,000 households through the Say Yes! COVID Test program so far. In addition, DHS continues to supply COVID-19 self-tests to local and tribal health departments, K-12 schools, and shelters for distribution to community members.
Support for getting your COVID-19 tests
For free, confidential support with placing an order for your household’s test package or help with finding health care and community resources near you, dial 211 or 877-947-2211. For information, resources, and data related to COVID-19 in Wisconsin, visit the COVID-19 webpage.
The Say Yes! COVID Test program is funded in part through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) funds.
COVID-19
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