POLITICUSUSA

The White has officially launched a new phone line that Americans can use to order at-home COVID-19 tests. The move is part of an effort to reach people who do not have reliable internet access.

Starting today, Americans who cannot put in an order for COVID-19 tests via the website the White House launched earlier this week can call 1-800-232-0233.

The call line offers services in English, Spanish, and over 150 additional languages. It is open from 8 a.m. to midnight seven days a week. A text-based line for hearing impaired callers is also available at 1-888-720-7489.

The White House announced its website for Americans to order at-home COVID-19 tests had launched on Tuesday. According to the website, covidtests.gov, “every home in the U.S. is eligible to order 4 free at-home COVID-19 tests. The tests are completely free. Orders will usually ship in 7-12 days.”

Some users had reported technical issues while attempting to order their tests due to the address verification tool enforcing the four-per-household cap on apartment buildings and other dwellings with multiple units.

In December, the White House said

it was preparing to ship as many as 500 million kits, part of an effort to deal with a surge of COVID-19 cases attributed to the highly contagious Omicron variant.