Here’s what Columbus residents should know about the free at-home COVID-19 tests
The federal distribution of free at-home COVID-19 tests will soon relieve some of the increased demand on local testing sites, Columbus public health officials said.
As of Jan. 15, every home in the U.S. can receive up to four rapid at-home COVID-19 tests through the mail. The United States Postal Service began shipping test kits on Monday. Currently, the government has not indicated whether there will another round of free at-home COVID-19 tests.
Having access to these tests will eventually alleviate demand on the health department, West Central Health District spokesperson Pam Kirkland said in an email. However, residents may not receive kits for several weeks.
“But people should realize that these ‘rapid tests’ are not as sensitive as the PCR test,” she said. “And that follow-up with a standard PCR test is recommended to confirm their result.”
If someone who is symptomatic gets a negative result with a rapid test kit, they should also get a standard PCR test to be sure it’s not a false negative result, she said.
As the omicron variant spread in 2021, high demand and long lines for COVID-19 tests prompted the the health department to move its drive-thru testing site to the Civic Center in late December. A few weeks later, it moved to the Peachtree Mall and Shirley B. Winston Recreation Center.
“We were running out of space to accommodate all the people who needed testing,” Kirkland said. “The cars were getting backed up into the street, so we had to have an alternate location to meet demand.”
Demand is now starting to drop off. From Jan. 10-15, the Columbus Health Department collected 2,710 COVID-19 tests, and 1,532 tests were collected last week. On average, test results are available in 24-48 hours, Kirkland said, but if the labs are backlogged or short-staffed, it may take longer.
Dr. Jeremy White, an emergency physician at Piedmont Macon, is part of COVID Solutions, a group working to make coronavirus testing more accessible. The organization opened a testing site in Columbus to help take on some of the high demand at the health department as the omicron surge began.
The small testing site at Greater Ward Chapel AME Church is averaging about 50 tests a day, White said, and the group will continue to monitor the demand over the next few weeks to determine how long the temporary testing site will run.
Free tests will allow people to do at-home surveillance to quickly decide if it’s safe to go to school, work or travel. But the limit of four tests per address is a downside to the program, he said, since those with larger families will go through those tests quickly.
“The other side of it, you don’t get verification of the validity of the test that your employer, school or airport might need to get back to what you need to do with that facility or operation,” White said.
In those instances, residents will still need a lab or provider to give them a valid test and documentation of a result, which they might not be able to do with an at-home test, depending on the employer.
How to get COVID-19 tests
Residents can go to covidtests.gov to order the rapid antigen tests offered by the federal government. No identification, credit card or health insurance information is required.
The program allows up to four free tests per residential address to ensure there is broad access to the tests. People who live in a large or multigenerational household can access COVID-19 tests in other ways, including free testing sites and health insurance.
As of Jan. 15, most people with a health plan may go online, to a pharmacy or store to purchase an at-home, over-the-counter test at no cost through reimbursement or free of charge at the point of sale through their insurance.
Insurance companies are required to provide reimbursements of up to $12 per test. Consumers can find out from their insurer if they provide direct coverage or whether they will have to submit a claim for reimbursement, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.
Those who are unable to afford the upfront cost of at-home, over-the-counter tests are encouraged to go to a free testing site in their area.
Residents who don’t have internet access and want to order home tests from the federal government may contact the COVID-19 Call Center at 706-653-6613 Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
“The goal is for life to continue for our society to continue on and not be so disruptive like the lessons we learned from the first wave,” White said. “We’re really trying to avoid that.”
This story was originally published January 31, 2022 at 9:54 AM.
