Governor Greg Gianforte and the Department of Public Health and Human Services (DPHHS) are making available 650,000 at-home COVID-19 rapid antigen tests for Montanans. The tests are being provided at no cost to support early COVID-19 detection in an effort to reduce transmission of the virus.

DPHHS shipped the at-home tests this week to county and Tribal public health departments for distribution beginning as early as Sunday, January 30, 2022, unless otherwise noted.

Montanans can go to hometest.mt.gov for locations and days the tests will be made available. The allocations were distributed on a per capita basis to local jurisdictions.

The public is encouraged to reach out to local officials with any questions related to distribution information. Local contact information is included on the website.

The CareStart tests are self-administered, and results are available in 10 minutes. The governor first announced plans to increase access to the tests on January 13.

The website includes guidance for Montanans about how to report a positive test. County and Tribal public health departments are also required to provide an informational one-pager with each test kit. Montanans can report a positive test to DPHHS by scanning the QR code located on the one-pager, or online here.

Montanans that test positive should isolate for five full days and inform their health care provider and any close contacts. If an individual meets the criteria to discontinue isolation after day five, they should wear a mask for an additional five days when around others and avoid indoor gatherings and travel. For more information about the current guidelines for isolation, quarantine and who may be a close contact, please visit.

Safe and effective vaccines are widely available and the best way to prevent severe illness or death from COVID-19. Visit covidvaccine.mt.gov to find an available vaccination site.