Arizonans are receiving free government at-home COVID-19 tests sooner than expected
The government began offering free COVID-19 tests to households across the nation on Jan. 18, and some Arizona residents are getting them sooner than anticipated.
People can order four rapid antigen tests per household on the government's website, https://www.covidtests.gov, which will be sent straight to their address.
The website says they will ship in seven to 12 business days, but some people have gotten them in as few as four days.
Steven Magallanes of Tucson ordered his early in the morning the day the order website opened, and they arrived on Jan. 22.
"It was pretty quick... I didn't have any problems ordering them at all," Magallanes told The Arizona Republic.
The test distribution is important during a time when it's difficult to find them on shelves.
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Nancy Schmehl, a Valley resident, struggled to find tests for awhile last fall.
"When the government offered free tests I got very excited," she said.
Schmehl ordered her tests on Jan. 18, too. They were supposed to arrive on Thursday but got to her home two days early.
"It was super easy to order (the tests). Filling everything out only took me a minute," she said.
The tests being distributed by the government deliver results in about 30 minutes, whether symptomatic or not.
The website also includes links to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for at-home testing and isolation.
Reach breaking news intern Jane Florance at jflorance@arizonarepublic.com or on Twitter @Florance_Jane.
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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Free at-home COVID-19 tests from the government are arriving fast
