Mercer County to Get At-Home and Pop-Up Covid Tests

Mercer County will start to provide its residents with at home COVID-19 tests and open pop-up testing locations, according to TAPinto Hamilton/Robbinsville.

Mercer County Executive Brian M. Hughes announced the other day that the county signed a $357,500 contract with Vault Medical Services of New Jersey to provide the new services. The contract is being funded by a State of New Jersey Coronavirus Relief Fund grant, and was approved by the Board of Chosen Freeholders.

The details are still being worked out, but the article states that there will likely be at-home saliva tests distributed and pop-up testing sites around the county. Mercer County set up pop-up testing in the spring, but, had to pay for it, and it wasn't cheap, costing the county more than $1.5 million for almost 7,000 tests.

“We hope there isn’t a resurgence of COVID-19 this fall, but the funding the state is providing will enable us to re-establish a testing operation for our residents during what we expect will be a critical period as colder weather drives people indoors,” Hughes said.

Just last month, New Jersey Governor, Phil Murphy, pledged $37 million to Mercer County and 11 other counties that were not eligible for federal funding given out through the CARES Act to fight against COVID-19, because their populations are under 500,000. Mercer County and each of the other 12 counties were eligible to receive $357,500 to help them set up, staff and, upkeep the COVID-19 testing sites.

As of now, New Jersey health officials are saying there are so signs of a 2nd wave yet, despite a surge in cases, but, if there is one, with these new services, the state will be ready to combat it and stop the spread.

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