Mercer to offer free COVID-19 testing in Trenton, Hamilton
TRENTON -- Mercer County, in partnership with Vault Health Services, will offer free COVID-19 testing at pop-up sites in Trenton on Dec. 8 and Hamilton on Dec. 11 at the following times and locations:
• Tuesday, Dec. 8, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at CURE Insurance Arena, 81 Hamilton Ave., Trenton. Use Parking Lot 2 off South Broad Street to access Gate A. Testing will be conducted in the arena concourse.
• Friday, Dec. 11, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Colonial Firehouse, 801 Kuser Road, Hamilton.
The saliva test is available to County residents 14 years or older and anyone employed as a first responder or health care worker in Mercer County.
Bring identification showing Mercer County residency and a smartphone or tablet if you have one. No prescription is necessary. Please avoid eating, drinking, chewing gum or smoking 30 minutes prior to taking the test.
Testing will be limited to 300 people each day but additional pop-up testing sites will be scheduled in the near future.
If you want to avoid the lines, Mercer County also offers an at-home saliva test for COVID-19, which can be requested by visiting www.mercercares.org. If you need help with the online registration process, assistance will be available at the pop-up sites.
An updated list of COVID-19 testing locations in Mercer County can be found on the Trenton Health Team’s website: https://trentonhealthteam.org/covidtests/.
CURRENT STATUS
The New Jersey Department of Health on Dec. 7 announced 3,573 new positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the cumulative total of positive cases in the state to 371,579; and 17 additional confirmed COVID-19 deaths, bringing the cumulative total to 15,550 confirmed deaths and 1,836 probable deaths. Mercer County's 136 new positive cases bring its cumulative total to 15,069, with 633 confirmed COVID-19 deaths and 37 probable deaths. To view Mercer County data by municipality, please visit the Mercer County COVID-19 Dashboard at https://arcg.is/1y1eHO. Please note that municipal data lags behind the state data and will update as information becomes available. Visit the New Jersey Department of Health's COVID-19 Dashboard for more statewide information.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Dec. 6 announced 206,992 new positive cases of COVID-19, bringing the cumulative total of positive cases in the United States to 14,462,527; and 2,310 additional deaths, bringing the cumulative total to 280,135 with 55 locations (50 states, District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, Guam, North Mariana Islands and U.S. Virgin Islands) reporting.
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HAVE GENERAL QUESTIONS ABOUT COVID-19?
The NJ Poison Control Center and 211 have partnered with the State to provide information to the public on COVID-19:
Call: (general COVID-19 questions) 2-1-1 (24/7)
Call: (medical COVID-19 questions) 1-800-962-1253 (24/7)
Text: NJCOVID to 898-211 to receive alerts
Visit https://covid19.nj.gov/ or nj.gov/health for additional information
PREVENTION AND SYMPTOMS
How COVID-19 spreads:
COVID-19 spreads easily from person to person, mainly by the following routes:
• Between people who are in close contact with one another (within 6 feet).
• Through respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs, sneezes, breathes, sings or talks.
People who are infected but do not show symptoms can also spread the virus to others.
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To ensure the lowest chance of obtaining the virus, and spreading the virus to others:
• Wear a face mask that covers your nose and mouth in public settings and when around people who don’t live in your household. Masks help stop the spread of COVID-19 to others.
• Practice social distancing -- stay at least 6 feet (about 2 arms’ length) from other people who are not from your household in both indoor and outdoor spaces.
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after you have been in a public place or after blowing your nose, coughing or sneezing. If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol.
• Stay home if you are sick, except to get medical care.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, or use the inside of your elbow.
• Avoid touching your nose, eyes and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily.
Symptoms can appear between 2-14 days after exposure, though some people may not have any symptoms while still being contagious. Symptoms can include: fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, and diarrhea.
If you believe you've been infected and you are not in immediate danger, you should contact your doctor by phone. If you are experiencing a medical emergency, call 911, and notify the dispatch personnel that you may have COVID-19. COVID-19 Symptom Checker
COPING WITH STRESS
If you’re feeling stressed, anxious or depressed due to COVID-19, please call New Jersey's MentalHealthCares Helpline at 866-202-HELP (4357) or visit njmentalhealthcares.org for emotional support, guidance, and mental health referrals as needed. You also may call the SAMHSA Disaster Distress Helpline at 1-800-985-5990 or text TalkWithUs to 66746 (TTY 1-800-846-8517). Listing of additional resources.
JOBS AND HIRING
Did you lose your job or have your hours reduced as a result of COVID-19? The State of New Jersey has created a resource page to help you connect to benefits and resources you need while you are trying to safely get back to work, as well as some tips for coping with the stress of losing a job: covid19.nj.gov/work. In addition, Mercer County’s One-Stop Career Center has posted a list of employment opportunities.
BUSINESS ASSISTANCE
For information on COVID-19/Novel Coronavirus and its impact on businesses – including resources, assistance and regulations -- visit the State of New Jersey business portal and the Mercer County Office of Economic Development’s COVID-19 Business Resources page.
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