Free COVID-19 Tests Available for Order in Contra Costa County

CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA (Jan. 27, 2022) — To ensure that all Americans have access to timely COVID-19 testing, the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services and the U.S. Postal Service have launched COVIDtests.gov, a new site for requesting free home test kits by mail.

Every address in the United States is now eligible to receive four free tests by signing up at the site, which is also a helpful resource for finding nearby COVID-19 testing and vaccination clinics, and information about insurance reimbursement for purchasing home test kits. The free test kits will ship free starting in late January.

Home test kits, also known as rapid antigen tests, are available over the counter at pharmacies. While the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) tests provided at community clinics are the most accurate for detecting COVID-19, antigen tests are the best choice for finding out quickly if someone is contagious.

Antigen tests produce a result in about 15 minutes, rather than the days it can take for a laboratory result from a PCR test. They are useful for determining whether a COVID-19 quarantine or isolation period can be shortened, and before visiting to help protect people at high risk of serious illness from COVID-19.

If you need a COVID-⁠19 test now, please visit Contra Costa Health Services “Get Tested” web page for local testing resources.