As part of the state’s ongoing efforts to curb the spread of the coronavirus, Vermont residents can now pilot a new online system for ordering and delivering rapid COVID-19 tests.
“While we wait for more details on President Biden’s rapid testing initiative, we are evaluating ways to simplify testing options,” said Gov. Phil Scott.
“It is our hope that rapid tests will be readily available at every local pharmacy for lower prices in the near future,” he said. “We need to bridge the gap between where we are today and where things will be in the months ahead. That’s why we are partnering with the team at the National Institutes of Health to ‘test drive’ the effectiveness of this online ordering and home delivery model, while also surging thousands of tests into our communities.”
In a press release, state officials explained that while the state’s online ordering system – available at SayYesCovidHomeTest.org – is similar to the system President Biden has said the Federal government will use to make rapid tests more easily available later in the month of January, this state program is in addition to that Federal effort.
In a statement, Gov. Scott stressed that Vermonters should have clear expectations about the goals and capacity of this pilot project, saying, “We expect there will be heavy web traffic when the site goes live.” Gov. Scott further explained that the number of rapid tests is limited by national supply.
“As with every new program, there are going to be unanticipated challenges. Orders will be limited to one per household and will take one to two weeks for delivery. Each order will contain two test kits and each kit contains two tests, for a total of four tests per order,” said the governor. “These tests are free to Vermonters, and while they will go very, very quickly, this pilot project is just one of several ways for Vermonters to get testing,” he added.
The Say Yes! COVID Test initiative is a partnership with the National Institutes of Health, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, test manufacturer Quidel, and healthcare technology company CareEvolution.
The state said that participating residents will need to provide their name and address for test kit delivery, which will not be shared. The state stressed that no additional personal information will be required to get a free rapid test kit.
