4 additional free COVID-19 rapid tests available for Minnesota households

Krystal Frasier KSTP
a person wearing a latex glove hands out a binax now covid-19 test
A person wearing a latex glove hands off a BinaxNOW rapid COVID-19 test. (KSTP)

Additional COVID-19 tests are now available to Minnesotans at no cost.

According to Gov. Tim Walz, Minnesotans are now able to order more free, at-home rapid tests for COVID-19.

The governor’s office says four additional tests are available for each household, bringing the total number of free tests available to each household to 12.

The tests will be available while supplies last.

Anyone who hasn’t already ordered the previous eight available free tests can still get all 12, if supplies are able to meet the demand.

Tests can be ordered either online or by calling the Minnesota Dept. of Health COVID-19 Public Hotline from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. That number is 1-833-431-2053. You can also order tests by CLICKING HERE.

Tests are also available at various food banks, local public health agencies, community health organizations and community groups.

The online ordering program became available for Minnesotans who wanted to test at home for COVID-19 earlier this year.

RELATED: Online ordering program available Tuesday for COVID-19 tests

The latest round of available at-home tests comes less than a week after the state announced it was updating its COVID tracking app to allow self-test results.

Previously, the app required a verification code the Minnesota Department of Health would only provide after a lab-confirmed positive test result. That update came one day after the state began rolling out new bivalent booster shots.

RELATED: Minnesota officials say COVID tracking app is a critical tool to fight the pandemic. Few people actually use it.

The booster shots were first available at the Mall of America and the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center.

Wednesday, it was announced that appointments for the booster shots are now available in Moorhead at the former Thomas Edison Elementary School, as well as in Rochester at the Mayo Civic Center. Boosters are expected to become available at the St. Paul Midway testing location next week.