Show You Care, Protect Yourself, Others from STIs

How To Find A COVID-19 Test Location Near Me. List Of Free Pop-up ...

Testing is ramping up across the state as the holiday season begins and coronavirus cases continue to climb in New Jersey, though long lines have been reported.

People have waited several days for appointments at pharmacies such as CVS and RiteAid. New Jersey has been averaging more than 44,000 tests administered per day over the past week. That total does not include recently-deployed rapid tests.

The statewide positivity rate for tests recorded Saturday, the most recent day available, was 10.54%.

There were 2,796 patients in the state's 71 hospitals as of 10 p.M. Thursday with the coronavirus or a suspected case, a decrease from the 2,831 in the previous 24-hour period.

New Jersey's statewide seven-day average for new positive tests as of Tuesday is 4,097 — up 9% since last week and 228% since last month.

The New Jersey Department of Health's coronavirus testing information page lists the following free pop-up centers, or use the lookup tool to find a testing center near you:

St. Michael's Church, 10 North Mississippi Avenue, Atlantic City, 9 a.M. To 4 p.M., Friday, Nov. 27 and Saturday, Nov. 28th

Atlantic City Convention Center, Atlantic City, 10 a.M. To 6 p.M., Friday, Nov. 27; Saturday, Nov. 28; and Mondays-Saturdays through Dec. 12th

Townsend Residential Life Center, Stockton University, Galloway, 12 to 7 pm, Saturday, Dec. 5 and Sunday, Dec. 6

Lakeside Towne Hall, Stockton University, Galloway, 9 a.M. To 5 p.M., Monday, Dec. 7 and Wednesday, Dec. 9

Mastery Charter Schools McGraw Elementary, 3051 Fremont Avenue, Camden, Mondays, Nov. 30 to Dec. 21

1600 John F. Kennedy Boulevard, Union City, Wednesdays and Saturdays through Dec. 30

CURE Insurance Arena, 81 Hamilton Avenue, Trenton, Dec. 1, 10 a.M. To 2 p.M.

Passaic County Senior Services, 930 Riverview Drive, Totowa, 10 a.M. To 2 p.M., Saturday, Nov. 28

Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.Com.

Our journalism needs your support. Please subscribe today to NJ.Com

If you purchase a product or register for an account through a link on our site, we may receive compensation. By using this site, you consent to our User Agreement and agree that your clicks, interactions, and personal information may be collected, recorded, and/or stored by us and social media and other third-party partners in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

Where To Get A PCR COVID Test Near Me? How To Find A Testing Site

President Joe Biden announced Tuesday the government is taking several measures to fight the new surge of COVID-19. Along with offering 500 million free rapid home-testing kits and increasing vaccination and boosting efforts, the administration has partnered with Google to help people locate free COVID testing sites.

"We've arranged for it to be easier for you to find a free COVID testing site near you on Google," Biden said. He added people can simply type the phrase "COVID test near me" into a Google search bar, and they will "find a number of different locations nearby."

An additional online resource for finding testing locations is offered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), which maintains a searchable database of testing sites.

The Biden In this photo, a lab technician is working on smears for PCR tests for COVID-19 during the coronavirus pandemic on February 22, 2021 in Kiel, Germany. The Biden In this photo, a lab technician is working on smears for PCR tests for COVID-19 during the coronavirus pandemic on February 22, 2021 in Kiel, Germany. Morris MacMatzen/Getty Images

The partnership with Google will reportedly now allow people to find testing locations that may not have turned up before in search results.

José Castañeda, a Google spokesperson, told Newsweek that partnership is part of the company's continuing efforts to help users get necessary resources during the pandemic.

"We're constantly making improvements to the COVID information we provide on Search and Maps," Castañeda said. "We recently made an update that added info about thousands more free testing sites, and have been working with the administration and government agencies on these efforts."

New testing sites will be opened throughout the country, and the government will use the Defense Production Act in order to fund the manufacturing costs of more tests. New York will see the first new government-supported testing site this week, and 20,000 new sites will soon be rolled out.

On Tuesday, Biden also announced a government-run website will soon be available for people to order free COVID tests.

"We will have more information as it is available including what the website looks like," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said about the initiative on Tuesday. "We will make the website available as soon as these tests are available."

Recent research from the Kaiser Family Foundation found the U.S. Would need approximately 2.3 billion tests per month for people 12 and older to be tested at the recommendation rate of twice a week. That number is far higher than the 500 million free rapid home tests the Biden administration has announced will be available.

The emergence of the Omicron variant has left health officials scrambling to deal with the new COVID surge. The variant quickly became the dominant version of the virus in the U.S. And accounted for 73 percent of new infections last week.

The Biden administration has also said 1,000 troops with medical training are ready to be deployed to hospitals feeling strained by the surge. Federal medical personnel will be immediately sent to Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, Arizona, New Hampshire and Vermont.

Where To Get STD Testing For Free With Or Without A Copay

Talking about sex with a doctor is not fun. Even though doctors are prepared to talk about these things and frequently discuss them with other patients, bringing up your own sex life to your provider can feel awkward or downright embarrassing, especially if the thing you want to talk about is a sexually transmitted disease (STD).

If you suspect you have an STD, though, you should talk to your doc as soon as you can. Don't wait for symptoms to appear, because many STDs don't show signs until months after you've contracted the disease, and some may not show signs at all. 

But what if you can't afford to go to a doctor, or don't have access to one that can do a test? There are still plenty of options to get tested, and some of them are free. We rounded up all the different ways you can get checked for STDs without seeing your primary care doctor.

Read more: How to find urgent care and avoid a hefty hospital bill

Watch this: Sex tech continues to impress at CES

18:54 Where can I get a STD test without visiting my doctor? 

If you can't stomach the idea of bringing up a potential STD to your usual physician -- or can't see them at all -- one of these testing sites might be right for you. 

Planned Parenthood

Planned Parenthood offers testing for most STDs, as well as hepatitis and HPV vaccines, sexual education and STD prevention help. The cost of an STD test at Planned Parenthood depends on which diseases you get tested for and your insurance. Some Planned Parenthood clinics offer free STD testing, and many offer low-cost testing. 

Call the clinic near you to find out if you can get free or low-cost STD testing.

Urgent care clinics

Many urgent care clinics offer walk-in STD testing. You may or may not have a copay, depending on your insurance. An urgent care doctor will perform a physical exam to look for any obvious symptoms and will likely take a blood or urine sample and send it to a lab. 

Once your results come back, an urgent care doctor can also prescribe any necessary medication.

Free STD clinics

Most cities have free STD clinics run by the local or county public health departments. You can find one quickly by doing a web search for your town and "free STD clinic." The easiest way to find free STD testing near you is to call your local health department and ask. STDs are a serious problem, and public health officials want to help you. 

Free STD clinics are usually quick and discreet, with the added bonus that the doctors and nurses there specialize in sexual health. Thomas Barwick/Getty ImagesLGBTQ clinics

If you live in a sexually diverse city, there's a good chance there's at least one LGTBQ health clinic that offers STD testing. This may be the most comfortable environment for you if you're LGBTQ, and it's also often free or and quick. 

For example, the Los Angeles LGBT Center offers free STD testing with results in just one week. Just like you'd search for a free STD clinic near you, try searching "LGBTQ STD testing" followed by your city's name. 

Your OB-GYN

If you have a regular OB-GYN, you can opt to go there for STD testing instead of your primary care office. There are two big reasons the conversation might feel easier at an OB-GYN office: You may not see this provider as regularly as you see your primary care physician, so it might be easier to divulge the details, and the premise of their profession is reproductive and sexual health. OB-GYNs talk about these things all day long, and knowing that can make you feel more comfortable. 

Note that you still need insurance to see an OBGYN without paying full cost. The cost for your initial visit, lab work and any necessary follow-ups or prescriptions can add up, so this may not be the best route if you don't have insurance. 

At-home STD testing The STD panel kit from LetsGetChecked. LetsGetChecked/CVS

Since you can take at-home tests for Celiac disease and hormone imbalances, it shouldn't come as a surprise that you can take an at-home test for STDs. If you're really trying to eliminate the possibility of embarrassment, an at-home STD test kit might be right for you.

Many telehealth companies offer at-home STD testing, including EverlyWell, LetsGetChecked, STD Check, iDNA, Personalabs, myLAB Box and PlushCare. You can probably even pick up an at-home STD test at your local pharmacy or drugstore. 

Some companies offer tests for individual STDs, while others offer complete panels. Either wait, note that online STD testing isn't an end-all -- instead, treat it as a first step. If you're testing out of pure curiosity, an STD test can offer you valuable information (and hopefully negative results). 

But if you're testing after experiencing strange symptoms, such as painful urination or genital sores, or testing because you recently had sex with a new partner, it's a good idea to see a doctor or go to an in-person clinic, even if you get negative results.

Read more: How to talk to a doctor online for free (and for a fee)

---