Expiration dates extended on at-home test kits
The FDA has announced extended expiration dates for a number of popular at-home test kits, including the BinaxNOW and iHealth Labs kits. To find out if your kit's date has been extended, see the table at the bottom of this FDA web page.
Who should get tested?
- Anyone with symptoms.
- Anyone who has had close contact with an infected person should test at least five days after contact.
- Anyone planning to spend time with someone at higher risk for severe illness from COVID-19.
Antigen vs. PCR Testing
ANTIGEN TESTS: Fast turnaround tests that look for COVID-19 antigens, or small pieces of protein, in your respiratory tract.
PCR TESTS: Require laboratory services that look for COVID-19 nucleic acid. They typically take around 24-48 hours to provide results.
How to get free at-home tests
- Most people with a health plan can go online, or to a pharmacy or store to purchase an at-home over-the-counter COVID-19 diagnostic test authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) at no cost, either through reimbursement or free of charge through their insurance. Insurers must pay for up to eight tests per covered individual per month. Contact your insurance provider if you have questions. As of April 4, 2022, Medicare beneficiaries may also have up to eight tests per month covered. Click here for more information about this initiative. If covered by Medicare or Medicaid, click here for additional information.
- Click for more information on how to take a self-test and to report results.
Here is the testing eligibility at the Pima County-sponsored sites below:
You CAN get tested for free:
- With or without symptoms of COVID-19
- Without a referral for a doctor
- If you've had a known exposure and are asymptomatic, don't go for testing before Day 5.
You CANNOT get tested for free:
- If your testing is needed for occupational or work-required reasons
- You have had a COVID-19 test administered at a Pima County site within the last 14 days.
Pima County Health Department self-test distribution events - no appointment needed
Pima County Public Library at-home test distribution sites
The Health Department has teamed up with the Pima County Public Library system to create multiple distribution points for FREE at-home COVID-19 tests throughout the county. At-home tests can be picked up at any of the library branches listed below. Please confirm hours of operation by clicking on the name of each library location listed below. The locations listed below are the only libraries that will distribute test kits and will do so as long as supplies last.
Pima County Health Department free testing centers
3950 S. Country Club Rd., Tucson
Monday, Friday: 8 a.m. - noon
Wednesday: 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
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Test: Nasal swab
Antigen test offered at no cost to patient
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No appointment needed
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How can I get the most accurate results from a COVID-19 self-test?
To get the most accurate results from the rapid self-tests, especially with the rise of new COVID-19 variants such as omicron, they have to be timed right. Testing immediately after exposure is likely yield a negative test result, because the virus needs time to multiply and produce a viral load high enough that the rapid test can detect. Experts advise the best time to administer a rapid test is 3-5 days after exposure. If you have symptoms, using a self-test shortly after symptoms begin, and then repeating it 1-2 days later is more likely to yield an accurate result. If using the test before getting together with others, some health experts suggest taking a rapid test just as you arrive, instead of taking it hours (or days) before. With the rapid self-tests, it is also important to follow the manufacturer’s directions. Read more about
self-testing from the CDC.
Emergency warning signs include, but not limited to:
- Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath
- Persistent pain or pressure in the chest
- New confusion or inability to wake
- Bluish lips or face
If you have a medical emergency call 9-1-1. Notify the operator that you have or think you might have COVID-19 so first responders can take proper precautions when they arrive.
If your clinician determines you should be tested for COVID-19, they may use the Arizona State Public Health Laboratory guidance to determine if your sample should go through the State Public Health Laboratory or to a commercial laboratory. The turnaround time varies at each lab (typically 3-5 days). Your clinician will get your result and share them with you.