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Testing and Treatment FAQs

  • Where can I get free, public COVID-19 testing or treatment?

    Last Updated: 09/21/2023
    As of August 2023, the New Jersey Department of Health is no longer maintaining a roster of free testing sites. Contact your local health department, municipality or trusted community organization ...
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  • How can I get testing or treatment for COVID-19 if I'm uninsured or undocumented? How do I cover health costs associated with COVID-19?

    Last Updated: 01/20/2022
    COVID-19 testing and treatment is available to everyone in New Jersey regardless of their insurance or immigration status. Below you will find resources for free testing and treatment as well as ho...
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  • What happens if I test positive? How long do I need to stay home?

    Last Updated: 09/28/2022
    If you tested positive for COVID-19 or are waiting for test results (regardless of vaccination status, whether symptomatic or asymptomatic): ISOLATE AT HOME: Stay away from people and pets for at ...
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  • Can a person test negative and later test positive for COVID-19?

    Viral tests are used to gauge whether you have a current infection. A negative result means that the virus that causes COVID-19 was not found in the person's sample. This probably means that the pe...
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  • How many people have gotten COVID-19 vaccines in New Jersey? How is New Jersey collecting and protecting vaccination data?

    Last Updated: 02/09/2023
    For the latest number of COVID-19 vaccines administered by county, race/ethnicity, age, and gender, refer to the vaccination overview tab on the Department of Health's COVID-19 dashboard. The dashb...
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  • What type of COVID-19 test should I get and when should I get it? What are the differences between the various test types?

    Last Updated: 09/26/2022
    If you want to find out if you are currently infected with COVID-19, get a diagnostic test. Testing is widely available and open to everyone in New Jersey. Visit covid19.nj.gov/testing to find a te...
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  • I was tested for COVID-19. How do I get my results?

    Last Updated: 07/14/2020
    Please follow the instructions from your testing site on how to get your test results. Pharmacies, local testing sites, physician's offices, hospitals, and other testing sites operate independently...
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  • How is New Jersey increasing access to COVID-19 testing?

    Last Updated: 01/25/2022
    Expanding access to COVID-19 testing has been a core principle of New Jersey's recovery plan for promoting public health and restoring economic health. New Jersey has been: increasing diagnostic t...
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  • Should I get tested if I do not have symptoms of COVID-19?

    Last Updated: 02/06/2023
    You could have COVID-19 and not even know it. Protect yourself, your loved ones, and your community by getting tested for COVID-19. Testing is widely available and open to everyone in New Jersey. V...
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  • Are antibiotics effective in preventing or treating the COVID-19?

    No. According to the World Health Organization, antibiotics do not work against viruses. They only work on bacterial infections. COVID-19 is caused by a virus, so antibiotics do not work. Antibioti...
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  • What does pooled testing mean?

    To save supplies, especially in situations where resources are limited, and test more people, pooled testing may be implemented. Pooled testing means taking samples from multiple people, storing pa...
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  • Is it possible to use convalescent serum - antibodies from those who have recovered from COVID-19 - to treat others?

    This is a strategy that is currently being tested. The concept of giving antibodies from one person to another to protect from disease is called passive immunization. You may also hear about this i...
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  • What does random testing mean?

    Random testing means selecting people for a test arbitrarily. Take, for example, a test meant to figure out how common COVID-19 exposure is in a town of 10,000 people. Testing everyone who works at...
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  • Should contacts of contacts be tested?

    Last Updated: 02/06/2023
    Being the contact of someone who had close contact with a COVID-19-postive person does not require testing. For example, if you have a coworker whose family member is a confirmed case, you are not ...
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  • NJ Health Commissioner Persichilli Statement on CDC Recommendation on COVID-19 Bivalent Vaccine

    Last Updated: 04/20/2023
    The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued updated recommendations to shift all administrations of the Moderna and Pfizer COVID-19 vaccines to bivalent rather than monovalent d...
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  • Are COVID-19 vaccines safe and effective? How were they tested and approved?

    Last Updated: 02/15/2023
    COVID-19 vaccines are safe and effective. Millions of people in the United States have received COVID-19 vaccines. These vaccines have undergone and will continue to undergo the most intensive safe...
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  • What can I expect at my COVID-19 vaccine appointment?

    Last Updated: 02/15/2023
    Before Your Appointment If you do not regularly take over-the-counter medications, like ibuprofen, aspirin, antihistamines, or acetaminophen, you should not take them before you get a COVID-19 vacc...
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  • Can I use new drugs or therapeutics to treat COVID-19? Where do I get them?

    Last Updated: 01/30/2023
    COVID-19 Therapeutics Overview If you test positive for COVID-19, you should ask your healthcare provider about whether a treatment is right for you. For patients with mild to moderate COVID-19 who...
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  • Should I get a COVID-19 vaccine or booster shot if I’m pregnant or breastfeeding?

    Last Updated: 01/27/2023
    COVID-19 vaccination is recommended for everyone 6 months and older, including people who are pregnant, breastfeeding, trying to get pregnant now, or might become pregnant in the future. In additio...
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  • Can I get the COVID-19 vaccine if I am undocumented?

    Last Updated: 11/04/2021
    Yes. Everyone 6 months or older is eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine in New Jersey and encouraged to get vaccinated as soon as possible. If you are uninsured, you can still receive a vaccine. The vac...
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  • Should I get a COVID-19 vaccine if I already got COVID?

    Last Updated: 10/06/2021
    Yes, you should get a COVID-19 vaccine even if you already had COVID-19 because: Research has not yet shown how long you are protected from getting COVID-19 again after you recover from COVID-19. ...
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  • Are vaccine sites accessible to individuals with disabilities?

    Last Updated: 09/21/2021
    Community-based sites have been designed to meet the needs of all residents in the state. These sites meet ADA accessibility standards, and special arrangements are made for those with mobility and...
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  • How can I get a COVID-19 vaccine if I’m homebound?

    Last Updated: 05/17/2021
    If you are unable to leave the home to receive a COVID-19 vaccine or are the healthcare provider or family caregiver of someone who is homebound, you may request an in-home vaccination appointment ...
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  • Where can I find COVID-19 testing?

    Though the State of New Jersey is not maintaining a statewide test locator, there are a number of resources to help you find COVID-19 testing: The CDC maintains a website that allows you to find f...
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