To say we've been staying on top of all things COVID-related would be an understatement. When the CDC said that KN95 and N95 masks offer the most protection against the virus, we immediately scoured the internet for the best ones, and when it recommended booster shots, we scheduled our appointments. Needless to say, we'll do just about anything to protect ourselves against COVID-19 and the new variants that continue to fill the news. So when the CDC advocated for the use of at-home COVID rapid tests, we hopped on board.
Similar to other recommended risk reduction measures, including social distancing, wearing masks and getting vaccinated, self-testing is becoming one of the easiest and most popular ways to reduce the spread of COVID. Why? Experts say if you take the at-home test before you plan on being around others (regardless of vaccination status), you'll know whether to stay home and isolate based on your positive or negative results—which are typically provided in an hour or less—thus reducing your risk of spreading the virus.
So it's no wonder that self-test kits have been flying off of shelves, especially since news broke that you can order free ones from the government by visiting this USPS website. But since you only get four per household, and they aren't expected to ship until late January, we rounded up eight of the best places to buy reliable at-home COVID tests online right this minute.