WA reopens website to order free COVID tests, a week after running out of stock

Washington state on Monday reopened its website that allows residents to order coronavirus rapid tests, after running out of supplies and closing the site less than a day after its initial launch.

The state Department of Health has received hundreds of thousands more at-home tests, and anticipates delivering tests to another 120,000 homes with the new batch, according to a DOH statement.

The state first introduced the website, sayyescovidhomettest.org, on Jan. 21, allowing Washingtonians to get up to five free tests shipped to their homes — but within eight hours, all 1.4 million available tests had been snatched up. About 340,000 homes received tests then, according to DOH.

The state at the time blamed the quick depletion of tests on national supply chain shortages, which have created challenges in securing kits from local pharmacies and finding appointments at testing sites.

“We are thrilled to be able to open the portal for the second time this month to increase access to these tests statewide,” state Secretary of Health Dr. Umair A. Shah said in the Monday statement.