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Contact Info
Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control Division
IDEPC: 651-201-5414
Public hotline: 1-833-431-2053
Contact Info
Infectious Disease Epidemiology, Prevention and Control Division
IDEPC: 651-201-5414
Public hotline: 1-833-431-2053
COVID-19 Testing
Order free rapid at-home COVID-19 tests: www.covidtests.gov
- If you need help placing an order for your at-home tests, call the MDH COVID-19 Public hotline at 1-833-431-2053.
- Health insurance is not required to order your free at-home tests.
On this page:
Why to test
Where to test
When to test
Which test to take
Why to test
- Avoid spreading COVID-19 to the people around you.
- Figure out if you need to get COVID-19 Medications.
- Decide if you should postpone a visit to someone at high risk of becoming very sick.
- Make a plan to work virtually instead of in-person.
Find out more, CDC: Testing and Respiratory Viruses.
Where to test
- Test anywhere, on your own, with a self-test:
- Buy self-tests at your local pharmacy or other retailers.
- If you have health insurance, ask your pharmacy or health insurance company if they provide tests at no charge to you.
- Carefully follow instructions for self-tests and avoid using expired tests. Visit U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA): At-Home OTC COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests.
- If you don't have health insurance, Search for No-Cost COVID-19 Testing using the CDC's testing locator tool.
- Visit a COVID-19 Community Testing site near you.
When to test
- If you have symptoms, test immediately.
CDC: Symptoms of COVID-19 - For self-tests, follow FDA’s guidance on repeating the test to make sure you don’t miss detecting the infection.
FDA: At-Home COVID-19 Antigen Tests-Take Steps to Reduce Your Risk of False Negative Results: FDA Safety Communication - If you have plans to be around someone who is at high risk of getting very sick from COVID-19, you may want to take a test before you spend time with them.
CDC: People with Certain Medical Conditions and COVID-19 Risk Factors - When you have been around someone who may be sick with COVID-19, test five full days after you were near them.
Find out more, FDA: At-Home COVID-19 Diagnostic Tests: Frequently Asked Questions.
Which test to take
Two types of tests can detect if you currently have a COVID-19 infection: molecular (such as PCR tests) and antigen tests. Find out which test is right for your situation, visit:
Last Updated: 09/26/2024