Update, 4 p.m. Tuesday: The state’s site again says its supply of free tests for delivery has run out.
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Washington state on Monday reopened its website that allows residents to order coronavirus rapid tests, after running out of supplies and closing the site less than a day after its initial launch.
The state Department of Health has received hundreds of thousands more at-home tests, and anticipates delivering tests to another 120,000 homes with the new batch, according to a DOH statement.
The state first introduced the website, sayyescovidhomettest.org, on Jan. 21, allowing Washingtonians to get up to five free tests shipped to their homes — but within eight hours, all 1.4 million available tests had been snatched up. About 340,000 homes received tests then, according to DOH.
The state at the time blamed the quick depletion of tests on national supply chain shortages, which have created challenges in securing kits from local pharmacies and finding appointments at testing sites.
“We are thrilled to be able to open the portal for the second time this month to increase access to these tests statewide,” state Secretary of Health Dr. Umair A. Shah said in the Monday statement.
Because testing demand remains high in Washington, state officials warned again Monday that the website could close a second time if supplies run out, but that it will reopen once more tests arrive in the state.
The website is funded by the state and in partnership with health care technology company CareEvolution and Amazon, the state said. The tests are approved under the Food and Drug Administration’s emergency-use authorization for those ages 2 and up. They should arrive at homes within a “few days” of the order being placed, according to DOH.
The tests are secured by CareEvolution, then shipped to Amazon, which processes them and ships them directly to homes, DOH spokesperson Frank Ameduri said in an email.
The tests instruct users to take a “quick swab” inside each nostril, then wait a few minutes for rapid results. Further instructions about how to test and see results should be included in each kit.
If you test positive, the state encourages you to report your infection to its COVID-19 hotline, 1-800-525-0127 (then press #).
Washingtonians can also get coronavirus test kits through the federal government at covidtests.gov, at local pharmacies or at a local testing site.