SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — With the Omicron variant continuing to spread rapidly, the Biden Administration is ramping up efforts to combat COVID-19.

One of those efforts includes free ‘at home testing kits.’

The U.S. government will be distributing half a billion of them starting in January.

KELOLAND News shows you how easy it is to use them, so you can quickly find out if you’re positive or negative with COVID-19.

“You’ll have something similar to this, that’ll come with instructions,” Assistant Vice President of Laboratory Services at Avera Mike Black said.

Assistant Vice President of Laboratory Services at Avera, Mike Black, says the at-home test kits are pretty basic and easy to follow.

“You’ll have a tube such as this, a swab, and then you’ll actually have the test strip,” Black said.

The first step is to pull out the swab and roll it around in each nostril.

“You will put it in about a half inch to 3/4 in your nose, you will twirl it about three to four times on each side,” Black said.

From there you put the swab into one of these small tubes that’ll come with the kit.

“And you’ll move it around like this and you’ll let this sit for one minute,” Black said.

After one minute, you grab the test strip and place it inside that same tube.

“And you’ll want to leave it in there for at least 10 minutes,” Black said.

Once 10 minutes is up look on the test strip for either two lines or one line.

“So two lines, it’s positive; if you see one line, it’s negative,” Black said.

It’s really that simple.

Black says if you are experiencing symptoms, use these at-home test kits.

“There’s really no excuse for folks not to test,” Black said.

Once you’ve completed the test and, let’s say it’s negative, they want you to monitor for symptoms and then take the test again in two or three days.

“These are good tests especially for at-home testings, but the key to these are serial testing meaning you test more than one time,” Black said.

If you test positive, you should consult with your doctor and stay away from others.

Again, the rapid tests promised by President Biden will be ready for shipment in January. A new website is being established to order tests which will be mailed to you for free.