Order Free COVID-19 Test Kits by Mail as Case Numbers Rise

Editor’s Note: This story, originally published on Sept. 25, was updated Oct. 5, 2023, with the latest information on COVID-19 vaccines.

Photo: Robbie Dingeman

Turns out getting a COVID-19 vaccine is a little harder this year. We checked on O‘ahu and in Hilo and found that pharmacies were making appointments based on their expected supply of the COVID-19 vaccine arriving. Some of those shipments aren’t as large as they were under the government-run program, so pharmacies are canceling appointments when they run out.

If you have a travel deadline or other concern and want to get a vaccine as soon as possible, go online to every pharmacy you can—Longs/CVS, Walgreens, Safeway, etc.—to check for appointments. Some neighborhoods run out faster, so driving across the island may get you a booster sooner.

Also, keep checking back. We found same-day appointments opened at 4:15 p.m. near us that we grabbed. By the time we had our shots, the pharmacy was running out of vaccines again, so anyone who arrived in the evening had to reschedule. Another tip: check if you’re due for any other boosters—flu shot, tetanus, shingles, RSV—so if you make the trip and get canceled, you can still take care of something else on your health checklist.

See more COVID-19 vaccine information below.

How to Order Free COVID-19 Test Kits

Since Sept. 25, we’ve been able to request free COVID-19 test kits by mail again from the federal government by going to covidtests.gov for the next time we think we’ve been exposed.

Since the holidays will likely bring another spike in cases with more gatherings, travel and just being indoors more—even in Hawai‘i—we recommend asking for the tests. Who wants to have to track down tests, drive to the store and spend money when a potential exposure pops up? Not us.

And the COVID-19 test kit request process remains simple and familiar to those of us who’ve done this before: four tests per household address. Requesting the tests online takes less than a minute. A confirmation email from the U.S. Postal Service indicates the tests start shipping the week of Oct. 2.

Go Online or Call

Don’t have easy access to a computer or want help placing an order for your at-⁠home tests? Call 1-800-232-0233 (or TTY 1-888-720-7489). As before, if you have different families sharing the same address, call to get multiple tests sent to your duplex or shared house.

Extended Expiration Dates

The confirmation email from the post office reminded me to check if old tests that show “expired” dates have been extended by the U.S Food & Drug Administration. So I gathered the test boxes I had stashed, then went online to check extended expiration dates on at-home tests to see if any of them were still approved to use.

We had seven boxes of tests, including some from previous free-by-mail offers. They included iHealth, QuickVue, InteliSwab and Clinitest.

Checking COVID-19 test kits for extended expiration dates. Photo: Robbie Dingeman

I found two brands had extended expiration dates: the Clinitest now expires in February 2024 and the InteliSwab next month, Oct. 18.

All of the others, even those that expired last month, had no extensions. And it surprised me that the ones that expired the most recently did not extend, while older boxes of the same brand did.

I’m happy that two of the boxes can still be used, and we’ve got more tests arriving next month.

SEE ALSO: Finding Honolulu’s Helpers During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Tips for Checking Expiration Dates

The most helpful part of the FDA site is that it includes photos of the boxes to make it easy to find the test brands once you’ve got your old tests in front of you.

The more time-consuming part requires clicking into the lists of those that have been extended, which go by expiration dates and lot numbers. I started looking up the numbers on my phone but recommend switching to a laptop or desktop computer because it was easier to locate the numbers on a bigger screen using the find function.

These COVID-19 test kits have extended expiration dates. Photo: Robbie Dingeman

COVID-19 Booster Vaccine Recommendations

The FDA and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention say COVID-19 booster vaccines are recommended for everyone ages 6 months and up. That’s because the new booster has been updated to do a better job of protecting against the variants of the disease now circulating.

Hawai‘i health officials echo those COVID-19 booster vaccine recommendations, noting that the new vaccines address the XBB-lineages of the Omicron variant that is accounting for 99% of the COVID-19 cases in Hawai‘i.

Finding COVID-19 Vaccination Appointments in Hawai‘i

We checked out how to find COVID-19 vaccination appointments on O‘ahu because we will be traveling soon. Health officials say it’s fine to get both a COVID-19 and a flu vaccine at the same time. Local pharmacies are stocking the new boosters, but all those we checked with were only providing the vaccinations to people who booked appointments, no walk-ins. The advantage to registration is that might help you find out if your health insurance already covers the shots. Some people reported problems with their insurers when the updated vaccines first became available earlier this month.

We recommend making sure your insurance covers the cost when you arrive at your appointment. While you might be able to get reimbursed later, it’s likely a lot simpler to ask first. When trying to find COVID-19 vaccination appointments, we found it’s better to search for what’s available for the whole week to save some travel time and gas. The first available vaccines on Sunday at CVS were in Hau‘ula and Wai‘anae, then Hawai‘i Kai by Tuesday and Kāne‘ohe by Thursday. Others we talked to found appointments at Walgreen’s and Safeway stores.

Most insurers say the shots will be free, and those who lack health insurance may still be able to get the vaccine through a federal program. The CDC has info at vaccine.gov for that Bridge Access Program. (Paying for a vaccine is estimated to be $120 to $199 each.)

You can check for more specific advice online depending on your age and those around you as well as other timing issues that tie in to COVID-19 booster vaccine recommendations.

For more local information, check the Hawai‘i Department of Health.