USPS on the hook for White House's free COVID-19 test deliveries

this morning. The new government website Covid test dot gov is up and running with just a name and address families can request for free at home rapid antigen tests to be delivered to their home. It comes as the biden administration faces growing pressure to fix the Covid testing shortage. We're looking forward to getting free tests out to the public. The White House says they have tens of millions of tests ready to go and are spending $4 billion to deliver the 1st 500 million passing pressure to the Postal service to quickly deliver the Postmaster general saying they are well prepared to accept and deliver test kits on the first day the program launches. But right now the U. S. Postal service is facing some problems with communities in several states dealing with mail delays because of omicron. It's mostly bulk mail. Derek Reynolds just got mail delivered to his Maryland home for the first time in three weeks. It's a very weird and frustrating situation to have things you know are coming that you just don't know when they're ever going to arrive. As of Tuesday, more than 19,000 postal workers were either sick or quarantining just shy of the agency's pandemic high and more than twice as many as just two weeks ago. There are households where there has been no mail delivered for days. Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton sent a concerned letter to the postal service about the delays in D. C. If we can't get the mail. How are we going to get these Covid tests. I would be very worried about getting a test in any kind of timely manner. The postal service is now ramping up operations, setting up 43 centers where they will pack and ship those tests and hiring more than 7000 temporary workers. Many of them still staff from the holidays. USPS says their mitigation plans continue to perform well during omicron Adding that 90% of first class mail was delivered on time. In the first week of January we will get those test kits where they belong providing the test kits get to the post office in a timely way. But even if all goes right, don't expect overnight delivery. The White House predicts most tests will ship in 7 to 12 days and not until late january. They say the test should be used in three situations if you have symptoms at least five days after exposure or before gathering indoors with high risk people order the tests before you need them. If they wait until they have an issue by the time the tests arrive, the optimal time for testing may well have passed. Dr William Schaffner is part of the CDC's advisory committee on immunization practices. If you've been exposed and you don't have the tests available, you'll have to find testing resources elsewhere

The new government website where people can order free COVID-19 at-home rapid antigen tests is up and running. With just names and addresses, families can go to COVIDtests.gov and request up to four free tests to be delivered to their homes.The website comes online as the Biden administration faces growing pressure to fix the coronavirus testing shortage amid the omicron surge. The White House says it already has tens of millions of tests ready to go. It is spending $4 billion to deliver the first 500 million tests to homes across the U.S.The program passes the testing pressure to the U.S. Postal Service, which says it's prepared to deliver."We have been working closely with the Administration and are well prepared to accept and deliver test kits on the first day the program launches," Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said in a statement.But right now, the Postal Service is facing problems, with communities in several states dealing with mail delays because of omicron.As of Tuesday, more than 19,200 postal workers were either sick from COVID-19 or quarantining, just shy of the agency's pandemic high last January and more than twice as many as just two weeks ago, according to the American Postal Workers Union.Mail delaysLate last week, mail was delivered to Derek Reynolds' Maryland home for the first time in nearly three weeks."It's a very weird and frustrating situation to have things you know are coming but you just don't know when they are ever going to arrive," Reynolds said. "I would be very worried about getting a test in any kind of timely manner."Last week, Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton sent a letter to the Postal Service raising concerns about mail delays in D.C. and layoffs at USPS."There are households where there has been no mail delivered for days," the D.C. Democrat said. "If we can't get the mail, how are we going to get these COVID tests?"The Postal Service is now ramping up operations. It's setting up 43 centers that will pack and ship the tests and is hiring more than 7,000 temporary workers, many of whom were brought on for the holidays, according to the American Postal Workers Union.USPS defended its service performance during the omicron surge in a news release last week, saying 90% of first-class mail had been delivered on time in the first week of January."The Postal Service's mitigation plans continue to perform well," the release states. It declined to provide CNN any further comment or logistical plans.Shipping of test kitsBut even if all goes right, don't expect overnight delivery. The White House predicts most tests will ship in seven to 12 days, and not until late January.The Biden administration says the tests should be used in three situations: if you have COVID-19 symptoms; at least five days after exposure; or before gathering indoors with unvaccinated people or those at higher risk for COVID-19.Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert who is part of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, is advising Americans to request the tests before they need them."If they wait until they have an issue, by the time the tests arrive, the optimal time for testing may well have passed," Schaffner said. "If you've been exposed and you don't have the tests available, you'll have to find testing resources elsewhere."

The new government website where people can order free COVID-19 at-home rapid antigen tests is up and running. With just names and addresses, families can go to and request up to four free tests to be delivered to their homes.

The website comes online as the Biden administration faces growing pressure to fix the coronavirus testing shortage amid the omicron surge. The White House says it already has tens of millions of tests ready to go. It is spending $4 billion to deliver the first 500 million tests to homes across the U.S.

The program passes the testing pressure to the U.S. Postal Service, which says it's prepared to deliver.

"We have been working closely with the Administration and are well prepared to accept and deliver test kits on the first day the program launches," Postmaster General Louis DeJoy said in a statement.

But right now, the Postal Service is facing problems, with communities in several states dealing with mail delays because of omicron.

As of Tuesday, more than 19,200 postal workers were either sick from COVID-19 or quarantining, just shy of the agency's pandemic high last January and more than twice as many as just two weeks ago, according to the American Postal Workers Union.

Mail delays

Late last week, mail was delivered to Derek Reynolds' Maryland home for the first time in nearly three weeks.

"It's a very weird and frustrating situation to have things you know are coming but you just don't know when they are ever going to arrive," Reynolds said. "I would be very worried about getting a test in any kind of timely manner."

Last week, Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton sent a letter to the Postal Service raising concerns about mail delays in D.C. and layoffs at USPS.

"There are households where there has been no mail delivered for days," the D.C. Democrat said. "If we can't get the mail, how are we going to get these COVID tests?"

The Postal Service is now ramping up operations. It's setting up 43 centers that will pack and ship the tests and is hiring more than 7,000 temporary workers, many of whom were brought on for the holidays, according to the American Postal Workers Union.

USPS defended its service performance during the omicron surge in a news release last week, saying 90% of first-class mail had been delivered on time in the first week of January.

"The Postal Service's mitigation plans continue to perform well," the release states. It declined to provide CNN any further comment or logistical plans.

Shipping of test kits

But even if all goes right, don't expect overnight delivery. The White House predicts most tests will ship in seven to 12 days, and not until late January.

The Biden administration says the tests should be used in three situations: if you have COVID-19 symptoms; at least five days after exposure; or before gathering indoors with unvaccinated people or those at higher risk for COVID-19.

Dr. William Schaffner, an infectious disease expert who is part of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, is advising Americans to request the tests before they need them.

"If they wait until they have an issue, by the time the tests arrive, the optimal time for testing may well have passed," Schaffner said. "If you've been exposed and you don't have the tests available, you'll have to find testing resources elsewhere."

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