According to the Bangor Daily News, Maine Gov. Janet Mills has announced purchasing of 250,000 BinaxNOW COVID-19 rapid test kits that will provide Mainers with a free option to test for ramping up coronavirus.

The State of Maine has seen a steady increase of COVID-19 cases since July of last year, with the emergence of the Delta variant and now the Omicron variant, as well.

The free kits will be able to provide results in one hour, which allows those being tested a quicker result to return to work or know to quarantine depending on the results of the test.

The plan is for free tests to be available in drive-thru testing at Walgreen pharmacies throughout the State of Maine. Free test kits will also be provided by the State of Maine to health care locations, school districts as well as congregate home settings in Maine.

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Word of when the free tests will be available to Walgreen's pharmacies and other locations by the State of Maine has not been specified.

Additionally, on the national level, President Joe Biden announced last month the purchase of half a billion rapid test kits to test for COVID-19 to be distributed to citizens across the nation for at-home usage. Delivery of the first batch of these kits is still not expected for the next 'several weeks', according to the Associated Press on January 7.

Find out where to get a COVID-19 test and more about vaccination locations or COVID-19 information in general by visiting the State of Maine's CDC website.

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