By: Rachel Suga, Writer / Follow South Jersey Bridgeton City Intern
BRIDGETON, N.J. — Free COVID-19 testing is being offered at the Marino Center in Bridgeton until January 15. Cumberland County Health Department and Cumberland County board of commissioners encourage residents and essential employees to inform others about the free saliva testing.
Since December 29, COVID-19 tests have been administered at the center, which is located at 11 Washington St. in Bridgeton. Testing hours are from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. every day, except for Wednesdays; testing on Wednesdays is available from 2 p.m. to 7 p.m.
The testing site asks that those who wish to be tested to arrive at the Marino Center with their ID and insurance information if available, though the test is free. Those who are receiving tests are advised not to eat, drink, or chew gum for 30 minutes prior to being tested. Community members are also asked to have an email address, but an email can be created at the testing site if necessary. Test results can be given through an email and portal access, or through a phone call. Those who are tested can also call (212) 880-5494 to get their results.
Children as young as six years old are allowed to take the coronavirus tests. At-home tests are taken by giving Vault Health saliva samples, which has the same efficacy rate as nasal swab tests. The test is performed while a healthcare provider supervises the patient through a video telehealth visit with Vault.
According to the Cumberland County Department of Health, at-home tests should be used for patients that have been exposed to a person that has tested positive for coronavirus, have traveled out of the state, or may need to be tested for medical reasons. Medical reasons can include surgeries, visits to the doctor, and other related events.
In a saliva test, the patient would place their saliva in a tube, seal the tube in an envelope and send it to Vault Health. Test results are given to patients via email, with the entire process occurring within 3-5 days. If an individual is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, they are advised to seek in-person resources such as Riverside Urgent Care, Inspira Urgent Care, CompleteCare Health Network, or local drug stores.
You can find more information on coronavirus statistics in Cumberland County here.
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This article was produced by a Follow South Jersey news intern thanks to a grant provided by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation through the New Jersey Health Initiatives program to create hyper-local news to meet the informational and health needs of the City of Bridgeton, N.J.
