Coronavirus: What You Need to Know to Get Tested in New Jersey
Please note that the following protocol applies to all people regardless of immigration status or if they are in transit. In the states of New Jersey the free test is being carried out for residents, as the cost is covered by the government or the health provider. If you are in transit and have travel insurance, contact your insurance in case you have to take the test. Please note, however, that as required by federal law (the Occupational and Emergency Medical Treatment Act or EMTALA), hospitals participating in Medicare must medically evaluate all persons seeking emergency care and provide necessary treatment for stabilize those who have an emergency condition, regardless of payment method or insurance status.
Hospital emergency departments and physicians' offices currently follow federal guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommending testing only for people who meet certain criteria.
Who can get tested for coronavirus?
Due to limited supplies, current state policy is to screen the most vulnerable people, that includes:
- Hospitalized patients suspected of having COVID-19.
- Symptomatic health workers who have been exposed
- Individuals that may be part of a group or outbreak, based on close contact exposure
- Medically fragile individuals in community settings.
- If you don't have symptoms, you don't need to be tested. If you have mild symptoms, most facilities will not evaluate you.
I think I have symptoms of coronavirus. Can you test me?
It depends. A doctor has to order it, but the doctor will send it to a central location for testing, due to the need to take infection control precautions when testing. Those locations have their own testing priorities, based on state and CDC guidelines.
Keep in mind: Knowing if you have the new coronavirus will not make a difference in your treatment. There is no approved treatment for the virus. Supportive care, to lower a fever or relieve a cough, is all that is recommended. If it is symptomatic, the recommendation is to stay in quarantine.
What labs are testing for coronavirus?
Most of the tests are now being processed by LabCorp, and the samples are sent to their out-of-state labs for analysis. Quest Diagnostics also says that providers can order their new COVID-19 test, with samples sent to California for testing. Two hospital systems in New Jersey, including Hackensack Meridian Health, offer point-of-service testing at their hospitals.
Do not go to the LabCorp or Quest offices to get tested. They don't make them there.
Where can I get tested for coronavirus?
Do not visit a LabCorp or Quest location to request a trial. Staff at these locations do not collect specimens. Call your doctor before going to the emergency room. Patients requesting tests in hospitals or doctor's offices must be pre-screened.
The sample of secretions from your nose or throat should be taken in an isolation room by a healthcare worker wearing personal protective equipment: a gown, a mask, an eye shield, and gloves.
What is the price of the coronavirus test?
State sponsored health plans and most insurers are waiving the out-of-pocket costs associated with testing for their members.
How do they test for coronavirus?
A long, thin swab is inserted through each nostril to reach the nasopharynx, the upper part of the throat behind the nose, and rubbed in a circle to collect secretions. Most facilities also test for the flu at the same time, to rule it out as the cause of your illness. The end of the swab is placed in a test tube with culture medium.
How long does it take to test the coronavirus and get the results?
For the state lab, transportation, processing, and testing currently take about one day. For commercial labs, it can take three to four days.
What if you have tested positive for coronavirus?
Patients with a presumptive positive diagnosis are treated as if they have COVID-19. That means isolation and supportive care for your symptoms. Commercial or hospital laboratories notify local health officials of positive test results.
How do they transport the specimens, if they are so infectious?
Transporting samples to test for infectious diseases is routine for public and commercial laboratories, which have couriers trained in safety protocols.
For more information in New Jersey
Call 2-1-1 or 1-800-962-1253
Contact the crisis text line by texting to
NJCOVID at 898-211
For more information, visit the New Jersey Department of Health page: