DHS Expands Free COVID-19 Testing Program

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) announces that Wisconsin households can now get two free at-home COVID-19 self-test kits every month through the Say Yes! COVID Test website. Each test kit includes five rapid antigen tests, for a total of 10 self-tests. Self-testing allows for quick results to help people make decisions about their health to prevent spreading the virus to others and protect the health of their community.

“It’s important that we continue to provide equitable access to COVID-19 testing to stop the spread of this disease,” said DHS Deputy Secretary Deb Standridge. “Ordering test kits though the website is quick, easy, and free for any Wisconsin household, and you do not need health insurance to place an order.”

Since the start of the program in September 2022, more than 1.6 million test kit orders have been placed, with orders being delivered to every Wisconsin county. Households can place an order once per month and ordering reopens the first of every month. Those without reliable internet access or who have questions about ordering can dial 211 or 877-947-2211 for assistance.

To help stop the spread of COVID-19 it is important to use self-tests as recommended for reliable results and to know what to do if you test positive.

• If you have symptoms of COVID-19, take a test immediately.
• If you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, test five days after exposure, regardless of vaccination status.
• If you test positive, stay home for at least five full 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.
• If you test negative, you may need to take multiple tests over a span of a few days to reduce the risk of unknowingly spreading COVID-19. Using a self-test during the early stages of infection may provide a false negative test result because it could be too early for the test to detect the virus. When using a self-test, practice repeat testing. All at-home COVID-19 antigen tests are FDA-authorized for repeat testing, or serial testing.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) extended expiration dates for many COVID-19 self-tests, including tests delivered through the Say Yes! COVID Test program (iHealth). If your tests are past their expiration date, use the lot number on the test package to look up the current expiration date on the FDA list.

For the best protection against COVID-19, stay up to date on vaccines and booster doses, get tested, stay home if you have symptoms, seek treatment if you are at risk of getting very sick, and improve ventilation when possible. Current COVID-19 community levels show the level of severe illness in a community and can help guide decisions about how to best protect yourself and others.

Visit the DHS website for more information about COVID-19.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. While it is believed to be reliable, Urban Milwaukee does not guarantee its accuracy or completeness.