FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 31, 2022 Contact: [email protected]
Gov. Whitmer Announces 250,000 Free COVID-19 Tests for Michiganders
LANSING, Mich. – Governor Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) today announced a partnership with The Rockefeller Foundation to ship 250,000 free tests to 50,000 households to help get COVID-19 at-home tests into the hands of vulnerable Michiganders.
“Testing is critical to helping Michiganders protect themselves and their loved ones as we face the Omicron variant of COVID-19,” said Governor Gretchen Whitmer. “I am grateful to the Rockefeller Foundation and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services for teaming up to deliver 250,000 tests to families in counties across the state. Earlier this month, we surged 300,000 tests to schools and other group settings too. Toge
Households in eligible ZIP codes in Berrien, Genesee, Kent, Macomb, Muskegon, Oakland, Saginaw and Wayne counties, and the City of Detroit are eligible to order one test kit per household from the Project Act website. Each kit contains five tests and should arrive in Amazon packaging within one to two weeks of ordering. Michigan has 250,000 tests, which will be made available to 50,000 households in this first phase of the program, with additional test availability anticipated in the future.
Individuals seeking to order tests will input their ZIP code to see if they live in a qualifying area. Individuals without Internet access can contact the COVID-19 hotline at 888-535-6136, or contact 211 for assistance ordering tests.
“Testing is an important tool to limit the spread of the virus and at-home tests allow individuals to very quickly determine if they are positive for the virus and take actions to isolate and seek treatment if needed. I urge Michiganders to order their tests today in addition to getting the safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine and their booster dose when eligible, as the vaccine is our best defense against the virus,” said Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Director Elizabeth Hertel. “We are grateful for this partnership with The Rockefeller Foundation that will put more tests into the hands of Michiganders most in need as we continue battling COVID-19.”
The public-private public partnership program brings together five other state health departments in Arkansas, Illinois, Maine, New Mexico and Ohio along with test manufacturer iHealth, health technology company CareEvolution, and logistics provider and distribution leader Amazon.
This program is in addition to free at-home tests available through the federal government partnership with the United States Postal Service.
Michiganders also have numerous options for accessing COVID-19 testing such as MDHHS supported community popup testing sites, which include testing at welcome centers and airports in addition to 22 neighborhood testing sites across the state. Michiganders can also locate testing sites near them through an online search tool.
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250,000 Free COVID-19 Tests for Michiganders
