COVID-19 Testing in Rhode Island

You should get tested for COVID-19 if you have symptoms or have been exposed to someone who has COVID-19. Even if your symptoms are mild and you are up to date on your COVID-19 vaccines, you should get tested and stay at home (isolate).

It is important to test for COVID-19, so you can take steps to keep yourself and others safe. If you test positive, seek COVID-19 treatment to protect against getting very sick and take steps to prevent spreading illness to others.

 

How can I get tested for COVID-19?

There are several ways to get tested for COVID-19 in Rhode Island. Be sure to check with your insurance provider about coverage and any out-of-pocket costs.

How to get tested at primary care offices, pharmacies and clinics

Call your primary care provider or child’s pediatrician, local healthcare clinic or pharmacy to find out if they offer COVID-19 testing or if they can order a test through a laboratory.

COVID-19 self-testing at home or anywhere

COVID-19 self-tests or at-home tests are available through pharmacies and online retailers. Sometimes a COVID-19 self-test kit is also called an at-home test or an over the counter (OTC) test. Beginning Sept. 25, U.S. households can order four free COVID-19 at-home tests by visiting COVIDTests.gov.

People in Rhode Island with Medicaid insurance can get multiple COVID-19 self-tests per month at no cost with a prescription from a healthcare provider. You can report your COVID-19 self-test results to RIDOH via the online portal.

Testing options for people who don’t have health insurance

Federal programs are available to support access to COVID-19 testing for people without health insurance in Rhode Island.

  • Find sites offering COVID-19 testing and treatment at little or no cost through the Test to Treat Program locator. The Test to Treat program helps people get tested and—if they are positive—be prescribed treatments from a healthcare provider and have their prescription filled all at one location. A call center is also available at 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 1-888-720-7489) for assistance in multiple languages.