More Rapid COVID Tests Now Available In Jersey City In Respose To Delays

JERSEY CITY, NJ — The city of Jersey City has added more locations to get a rapid COVID test as of Thursday, they announced.

“The city continues to expand access to testing with additional sites opening citywide, specifically to offer more rapid test options in order to address delays that diagnostic labs are experiencing throughout the country," said a spokesperson Wednesday afternoon.

She added, "Starting [Thursday], we will dedicate three locations as rapid test spots for Jersey City residents: Joseph Connors Senior Center, Maureen Collier Senior Center, and Moose Lodge 266. We expect to add more sites for rapid testing as we receive more supplies.”

The testing is being provided by Bespoke.

Here are the details for the three sites that will be open for rapid testing from Jan. 6-15:

• The Moose Lodge in Ward A will be a new site opening tomorrow to offer rapid tests.
• Connors and Collier will transition to rapid test sites only.
• All three sites will be open from 9am-6pm.
• Appointments are required for rapid tests.
• The City will start taking appointments for rapid tests beginning at 1 pm today. Use the
Bespoke website or by call the city’s hotline at 201-373-2316.
• Dozens of testing sites citywide will continue to offer testing for those who wish to get a test.
• Use this link to schedule a test in Jersey City with Bespoke.

Find Out More About Jersey City And Hudson County Testing And Vaccines:

The easily transmissible omicron variant is causing cases to ramp up, and the delta variant is still in play and has been causing hospitalizations and deaths since summer.

In New Jersey right now, a whopping several hospital emergency rooms are on "divert status" due either to patient volume or staff being out sick, up from four at the end of last week.

A study done of COVID deaths in Texas hospitals over this past fall determined that unvaccinated people were 20 times more likely to die of COVID than vaccinated people.

While pharmacies, government clinics, doctor's offices and the state have offered places to get a free test or a vaccine, demand has increased over the holidays amid the rise of the omicron variant and holiday gatherings. In fact, in the mile-square city of Hoboken, at least 600 people tested positive in the week before Christmas (that doesn't count in-home tests that weren't reported).

But there are new ways to get or find a test, including a new state website (see below).

And the state has opened a new statewide testing center in East Orange.

In Hoboken, Jersey City, and Hudson County

If you work in Hoboken, appointments to be vaccinated or get a test via the city can be booked online at www.hobokennj.gov/vaccine or at www.hobokennj.gov/testing

In Jersey City, the city has posted an updated list of local free testing sites. See that list here.

The township of North Bergen recently added numerous testing sites. Find out more here.

The county of Hudson recently announced that it is adding vaccination sites at county parks in North Bergen and Bayonne.

Hudson County also has a vaccination center here.

New State Website

New Jersey health officials have launched a website where people can search for COVID-19 testing facilities near them or across the state. Users are advised to double check the accuracy of the hours, and eligibility, by calling the site before heading over. Go to the site here.

Tests are available to anyone in New Jersey; insurance isn’t needed.

In addition, the New Jersey Department of Health and Vault Medical Services have partnered to offer a an at-home COVID-19 saliva test kit that is available to every New Jerseyan who thinks they need a test. However, tests have run out some days because of demand. Learn more here. To order the kit, click here.

According to the state website:

“The kit will be shipped through UPS with next-day delivery. Once received, you will connect over Zoom with a Vault healthcare professional who will walk you through the test and answer your questions. When complete, the test can be sent back in a prepaid package via UPS next-day shipping. You will receive your test results 24 to 48 hours after your sample arrives at the lab. You will not be charged for the test, and you will not be asked for your credit card information.”

The state says: You can find a list of free public testing locations in New Jersey by county at https://t.co/bQkjIBA6hu, with additional sites to be added.
— NJDOH (@NJDeptofHealth) December 21, 2021

NJ Emergency Rooms Are Full

Medical professionals say that breakthrough COVID-19 cases caused by the new omicron variant — infections among the vaccinated — are less common among people who have received their third vaccination shot, and that for vaccinated people who do get the virus, symptoms are often less severe. But public health officials are concerned that hospitalizations are increasing nationwide, and that some staff are out sick, as well.

In America, more than, 823,000 people have died of COVID since the start of the pandemic. The daily death rate is highest right now in these states: Michigan, Tennessee, Arizona, New Mexico, and Pennsylvania.

Patch Editor Eric Kiefer contributed reporting for this story.

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