COVID Testing Update

HOW TO GET TESTED FOR COVID-19 IN NEW JERSEY

COVID testYou don't need insurance and free testing is available.

It's especially important to get tested if:

Note: Fully vaccinated people who have come in close contact with someone with COVID-19 should get tested 5-7 days following the date of their exposure and wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days or until they receive a negative test result. They should isolate if they test positive.

COVID-19 Test Site Finder and more information: https://covid19.nj.gov/pages/testing

MERCER COUNTY OFFERING FREE AT-HOME TESTING FOR COVID-19

Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes announced that County residents 14 years or older, and anyone employed as a first responder or health care worker in Mercer, can sign up to receive a free COVID-19 saliva test to be administered at home through a partnership between the County and Vault Health Services of New Jersey.

The saliva collection test for COVID-19 has the same effectiveness as the nasal swab test. It is not an antibody test, but rather is designed to determine if an individual is currently infected with COVID-19 and has the potential to infect others. This test is performed under the supervision of a Vault healthcare provider through a video telehealth visit, eliminating the risk of person-to-person exposure to the virus.

Individuals seeking a test should visit www.mercercares.org to register. You will be required to provide proof of residency or employment. After your eligibility is verified, you will receive a digital link to Vault’s webpage to request a county-funded test kit. The kit will be shipped overnight with instructions on how to schedule a Zoom telehealth meeting with a certified healthcare worker who will virtually instruct you about how to properly collect a saliva sample for shipment to the Rutgers Clinical Genomics Laboratory for testing. Test results are expected to be returned within 72 hours. If your test is positive, or if you have symptoms, call your health care professional. Any questions can be directed to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

When registering, individuals should have their health insurance card handy, but a lack of insurance will not prevent someone from using at-home COVID-19 testing. Federal rules require the collection of insurance information to support the testing program. Under federal law, all forms of public and private insurance must cover FDA-approved COVID-19 tests with no out-of-pocket costs to insured persons.

COVID-19 TESTING SITES IN MERCER COUNTY

COVID-19 tests are available at a number of locations in Mercer County (see below). Visit the location’s website or call for information on how to get tested.

Henry J. Austin Health Center in Trenton is offering COVID-19 saliva tests to the community by appointment, at no cost for patients without health insurance.

Tests are available for HJAHC’s adult and pediatric patients at 321 N. Warren St. and their mobile health unit throughout Trenton. To make an appointment, call 609-278-5900.

Other testing sites in Mercer County

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Instructions for persons who test positive for COVID-19 -- NJ Department of Health (updated 12/2/21)
Instructions for persons who test negative for COVID-19 -- NJ Department of Health (updated 11/16/21)