New Jerseyans can now have a COVID-19 test shipped for free to their home under a new program the state announced last week.
The state Health Department has partnered with test provider Vault Medical Services on the federally funded program, which state Health Commissioner Judith Persichilli said will increase testing “availability and accessibility” throughout New Jersey.
It comes as the Garden State continues to see COVID-19 numbers rise as the winter and holiday seasons arrive. Persichilli testing is “critical” to help track and prevent upticks.
She said this program is in addition to traditional COVID-19 testing at sites throughout the state and may be more convenient for people who have trouble leaving the house to get tested.
“With cases rising and holiday gatherings and travel, you want to protect yourself, especially if you are not feeling well or believe you may have been exposed — even if you don’t have any symptoms,” Persichilli said during the state’s last week’s coronavirus briefing in Trenton.
The saliva test can be completed in 10 to 15 minutes at home. You can request a test kit at https://learn.vaulthealth.com/nj/.
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The kits are shipped through UPS with next-day delivery, Persichilli said. Once you receive it, you will hold a Zoom call with a Vault health care professional to guide you through the test and answer your questions, she said.
You then send the test back in pre-paid packaging through UPS’ next-day delivery, Persichilli said. You must drop off the package at a UPS site or dropbox.
You’ll receive results 24 to 48 hours after your sample arrives at the lab, she said.
The results are also automatically shared with local public health officials, Persichilli said.
New Jersey on Monday reported another 11 confirmed COVID-19 deaths and 6,505 confirmed cases — the fifth day in a row that cases have been over 6,000. The state had just six days total last winter with more than 6,000 cases.
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Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @johnsb01.