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On May 17, 2022, the Biden Administration announced that COVIDTests.gov is now open for a third round of ordering. U.S. households are now able to order an additional eight free at-home tests at COVIDTests.gov—bringing the total number of free tests available to each household since the start of the program to 16. As the highly transmissible subvariants of Omicron drive a rise in cases in parts of the country, free and accessible tests will help slow the spread of the virus.

Here's what you need to know about your order:

• Each order now includes 8 rapid antigen COVID-19 tests
• Your order of 8 tests will come in 2 separate packages (4 tests in each package), each with its own tracking number
• Packages will ship free

You can place your Test Kit order here.

As you know the USPS has contracted with the Biden administration to deliver 500 million COVID-19 Test Kits.  To facilitate the federal government's efforts to deliver at-home COVID-19 test kits to American households, the Postal Service has established 43 fulfillment centers.   As part of the contract, the 500 million Test Kits will be packed and labeled in those 43 facilities, which are identified as fulfillment centers.

The NPMHU and USPS negotiated a Memorandum of Understanding which established guidelines regarding the staffing of the fulfillment centers earlier this year.  The parties previously agreed to extend the exception period for the hiring and continued employment of MHAs in excess of the 24.5% installation cap (up to the number listed in the agreement) in the identified installations. The MHAs, that were identified as being utilized for the pilot, were to be used solely for the purpose of performing the work of the pilot except for a three-week implementation period which began on January 1, 2022.  The duration of the pilot was seventy-five days from January 12, 2022, which is March 27, 2022, unless extended by mutual agreement of the parties.

The parties have agreed to extend the COVID-19 Test Kit Fulfillment Pilot for an additional 60 days from March 28, 2022. In addition, the parties have agreed that the non-COVID related MHAs maintained above the cap in the locations identified on the attached list may also be used in other operations at the PSA, annex or host facility.

This pilot provides Mail Handlers with the opportunity to perform an essential Public Health Service to the American Public in our battle against the coronavirus pandemic.  Mail Handlers are proud to be a part of these critical efforts.

If you have any questions, please contact the National Contract Administrative Department.