With data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealing a rise in COVID-related hospitalizations, ensuring the health and well-being of those most vulnerable, which includes older adults in every care setting and community type, is top of mind.

The good news: Free COVID-19 antigen test kits continue to be available to providers of affordable housing for low-income older adults through the Department of Housing and Urban Development via an initiative LeadingAge announced to members in late 2022.

To get kits, owners of Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly Program buildings and site-based staff should visit the COVID-19 Antigen Test Kit Ordering Portal for Section 202 Housing for the Elderly webpage. It includes details on how to submit requests via the COVID-19 Test Kit Portal, which was developed through LeadingAge’s longstanding engagement and advocacy work with both HUD and the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS).

HUD highly encourages Section 202 property staff to review the instructional materials before ordering and take note of the need for an iREMS number for the “State PIN” field of the order form (the process for attaining an iREMS numbers is described on the COVID test resource page).

Once ordered, kits are delivered directly to properties weekly.