Coronavirus Saliva Test Now In Keyport, Red Bank, Freehold

KEYPORT, NJ — The coronavirus saliva test, developed at Rutgers, will be available at new locations in Keyport, Asbury Park, Freehold and Red Bank starting next week.

Patch has written about the acclaimed spit test, which was developed by Rutgers genetics scientists and given emergency approval from the FDA in the beginning of April. The test was first put into use at the Edison Motor Vehicle site. Until now, it has only been available to Middlesex County residents.

It is now available at VNA (Visiting Nurse Association) of Central Jersey Community Health Centers, which has locations in Asbury Park, Freehold, Keyport and Red Bank.

The testing will be available to those who may have been exposed to the coronavirus and are experiencing symptoms. You do not need to be a healthcare or frontline worker, and you do not need a prescription.

Schedule an appointment by calling the Health Center at 732-294-2540 or contact the team through their website at vnachc.org/contact-us/ You will first be screened via telehealth to see if you qualify for the test.

They have a sliding fee scale based on family size and income that will charge the patient accordingly; no patient will be turned away, said Christopher Rinn, VNA's CEO.

The same day the FDA approved the test, the Rutgers researchers got a call from the White House's COVID-19 task force, asking how they could expand the saliva testing nationwide.

As Patch has reported, saliva tests are less intrusive and less painful than the deep nasal swab. They are also safer for healthcare workers and require less personal protective equipment.

You get results typically within 24 to 48 hours.