Coronavirus (COVID-19) Testing

Types of Testing • How Can I Get Tested? • Making Tests Safe & Available • Expanding Access to Testing

Available testing, rigorous contact tracing, enhanced laboratory capacity, and data sharing are all critical parts of preventing and containing the spread of COVID-19.

Types of Testing

There are two kinds of tests available for COVID-19:

A viral test tells you if you currently have an infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Molecular and antigen tests are types of viral tests. Viral tests are also called diagnostic tests.
An antibody test tells you if you previously had an infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. This type of test is also called a serological test.

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How Can I Get Tested for COVID-19

The process and locations for COVID-19 testing vary from place to place. To find out how to get a no-cost test in your community, select your state below.

If you are sick or think you have been exposed to COVID-19, contact your healthcare provider.
If you are seeking COVID-19 testing and/or treatment, make sure you understand the patient protections against “balance billing” for COVID-19 related services.

Community-Based Testing Sites

HHS has partnered with pharmacy and retail companies to make COVID-19 testing available to more Americans in more communities across the country. COVID-19 tests are also available at health centers nationwide.

At-Home Tests

If you have signs and symptoms of COVID-19, you and your healthcare provider might consider either an at-home test or an at-home collection kit.

There are FDA-authorized COVID-19 at-home tests available that allow you to collect your own sample and test it with a system that gives you results in minutes at home.
There are FDA-authorized COVID-19 at-home collection kits that allow you to collect your own sample and then send it to a laboratory for analysis.

See the full list of tests that have received emergency use authorization (EUA) from the FDA.

Making Coronavirus (COVID-19) Tests Safe and Available

HHS continues to safely accelerate the authorizations and availability of COVID-19 tests.

In February 2020, the HHS Secretary declared that circumstances justified the authorization of emergency use for tests to detect and diagnose coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).
M edical countermeasures such as tests, devices, and drugs, may be used to understand and meet public health needs during emergencies.
Emergency Use Authorizations (EUAs) allow public health experts to strengthen the nation’s response to public health threats by making medical countermeasures regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) available during emergencies.
View the full list of tests that have received an FDA Emergency Use Authorization.
NIH is helping to bring more high-quality, at-home tests onto the market in the U.S. as part of the NIH Rapid Acceleration of Diagnostics (RADx) initiative.

Learn more about the testing approval and validation process:

Expanding Access to Coronavirus (COVID-19) Testing

State, territorial, and tribal funding provides support to develop, purchase, administer, process, and analyze COVID-19 tests, conduct surveillance, trace contacts, and implement related activities.

CDC will provide $10.25 billion to states, territories, and local jurisdictions.
The Indian Health Service (IHS) will provide $750 million to tribal health programs (May 19, 2020).

Health center funding supports the expansion of Health Center Program COVID-19 testing capacity including support for the purchase of personal protective equipment, procurement and administration of tests, and laboratory services.

The Health Resources & Services Administration (HRSA) has awarded nearly $2 billion to combat the pandemic and expand COVID-19 testing at health centers, look-alikes (LALs), and rural communities.
State-level data on health center COVID-19 testing capabilities and metrics are available online and find out if a Health Center testing site is open near you.

Licensed pharmacists may order COVID-19 tests and administer them to their patients, which expands testing capabilities and makes testing more accessible for those who need it.

The tests must be authorized by the FDA.
This guidance is issued by the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health under the Secretary’s March 17, 2020 declaration under the Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness (PREP) Act.
Guidance for Licensed Pharmacists, COVID-19 Testing, and Immunity under the PREP Act (April 8, 2020)

Rapid, point-of-care testing is a critical element of the national strategy for testing, especially to support vulnerable patients, outbreak investigations, and frontline healthcare workers.

This test is performed at the same location as where the patient’s sample is collected and it can provide COVID-19 results in under 13 minutes.
HHS is providing these tests to states, territories, and tribes, as well as to remote and rural populations, nursing homes, hotspot areas, and for the Strategic National Stockpile (SNS).
FDA Letter of Authorization for ID NOW COVID-19 (March 27, 2020, updated August 27, 2021).