OCEAN COUNTY – The COVID-19 testing center at Ocean County College in Toms River will accept residents who are not showing symptoms of the coronavirus starting July 6, officials said.
The schedule for the testing center remains unchanged: 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, by appointment.
“We are now providing tests to asymptomatic residents in order to increase testing opportunities in the community,” said Ocean County Public Health Coordinator Daniel Regenye. “Up until now the drive thru site at OCC and some other independent testing sites in the county required a person to be showing symptoms and to have a script from a healthcare practitioner. We will no longer be requiring this at the college drive thru, however appointments are still required.”
Regenye noted there are other locations and testing sites for asymptomatic people that have opened throughout the state with some located in Ocean County.
To date, 5,406 coronavirus tests have been performed at the college testing site. As of July 1, Ocean County has recorded 9,627 cases of the coronavirus, although clearly not through this site alone.
To schedule an appointment, Ocean County residents can visit the Ocean County Health Department website at ochd.org. For more information, call the Health Department at 732-341-9700, Ext. 7411. Proof of residency will be required.
“We want to make certain all of our emergency responders can be tested promptly if they have been exposed or are showing symptoms of the virus,” Vicari said.
The emergency responders can either work or live in Ocean County to be eligible.
What you need to do:
- Register for a test. To register for the coronavirus test visit the Ocean County Health Department website at ochd.org and follow the online directions.
- Assemble your necessary paperwork: proof of residency/identification, registration
- Drive to OCC and enter through the Hooper Avenue entrance.
- You stay in your vehicle while hospital medical personnel perform a nasal swab.
- Wait three-five days for results. “All the results will be available on the BioReference Laboratories Patient Portal: Bioreference.com/patients/ and Ocean County Health Department and residents will be notified whether they test positive or negative,” Regenye said.
- Once the test has been performed, it’s anticipated to take about three to five days for results to be returned.
The most common symptoms of COVID 19 are fever, fatigue, a dry cough and shortness of breath. Ocean County has also established a process to ensure that people with test results are informed in a timely manner and provided with guidance, consultation and next steps.
