Testing
Positive Home Test for COVID-19?
- Stay home for 10-days from your first symptom. No symptoms? Stay home for 10-days from the date of your positive test.
- Keep all unvaccinated close contacts home for 10-days. from their last unmasked contact with you. Wear a mask if you have unvaccinated people in your home and do your best to stay 6-feet away from them. Vaccinated contacts who don't have symptoms, don't need to quarantine, but should mask while around other people for two weeks.
- Pick up the phone when the NY State Investigator or Contact Tracer calls you. It will look like an unknown number and will be from a 518 Area Code. Consent to a quick interview, ask questions, and try to do what they advise.
COVID-19 Testing
List of current COVID-19 Testing
Option 1: Your healthcare Provider (PCR).
Option 2: Free Home Tests (Antigen)
Get free at-home COVID-19 tests
Every home in the U.S. is eligible to order 4 free at-home COVID-19 tests. The tests are completely free. Orders will usually ship in 7-12 days.
Order your tests now so you have them when you need them.
Click to have tests delivered to your home
Option 3: Urgent Care (PCR)
- Please call ahead to a local Urgent care for COVID-19 testing
- To find a testing site: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/find-test-site-near-you
Option 4: Local Pharmacies (Antigen possible PCR)
- Many local pharmacies have testing kits available.
- List of local pharmacies for testing: https://coronavirus.health.ny.gov/find-test-site-near-you
- Rite Aid site testing kits or drive thru
- Drive thru testing through Rite Aid (must register and schedule) 2-3 days for the results: https://www.riteaid.com/pharmacy/services/covid-19-testing
- Wal-Greenssites: testing kits and drive-through
- Drive thru testing through Walgreens (must register and schedule 7 days in advance, results available within 24 hours, meets pretesting travel requirement): https://www.walgreens.com/topic/promotion/covid-testing.jsp
Option 5: Finger Lakes Community Health
If a test is needed, all of the health centers are set up for “drive-up” testing in our parking lots allowing them to socially distance themselves from other patients and staff. You MUST call first.
- Please call (315) 781-8448
COVID-19 Testing
Diagnostic (Swab) verses Antibody (Serum)
There has been a lot of talk about COVID-19 testing in the news. Diagnostic (nasopharyngeal swab) testing is not the same as an antibody test.
Diagnostic testing: Diagnostic tests check samples from your respiratory system (such as swabs of the inside of the nose) to tell you if you currently have an infection with SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Diagnostic testing is used to diagnose COVID-19.
All diagnostic testing for COVID 19 in Ontario County should be through your healthcare provider. Some Urgent Care facilities are also doing COVID-19 testing. You should call the Urgent Care Center before going if you think you may have COVID-19.
If you do not have a healthcare provider call one of our three Federally Qualified Healthcare Centers (FQHC).
Finger Lakes Community Health:
- Phone: 1-315-781-8448
Jordan Health:
- Phone: 1-585-396-0222
Mosaic Health:
- Phone: 1-585-554-4400
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If you are having trouble getting COVID-19 testing, call Ontario County Public Health and speak to a Registered Nurse (1-585-396-4558).
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Antibody blood test: Antibody blood tests, also called serologic tests. Antibody tests heck your blood (serum) for antibodies that would show if you have had a previous infection. Antibodies are proteins that help fight off germs. Antibody testing is not used to diagnose COVID-19. A serologic test may not be able to show if you have a current infection, because it can take 1 to 3 weeks to make antibodies after symptoms occur.
If you test positive or negative for COVID-19, no matter the type of test, you still should take preventive measures to protect others: Prevent COVID-19
(Updated 3/7/2022)