POC tests may either be reported through SimpleReport (CDC)   or New Jersey's Communicable Disease Reporting and Surveillance Systems (CDRSS).

SimpleReport

SimpleReport was developed by the CDC as a fast, free, and easy way for COVID-19 (SARS-CoV-2) testing facilities to report POC test results to public health departments.

It works with any COVID-19 rapid POC test and maintains HIPAA standards.

NJDOH and local health departments will automatically receive test results for New Jersey residents and for persons tested at New Jersey facilities that are entered into SimpleReport.

To sign up, visit their website   and follow the instructions.

CDRSS

If you are already reporting test results into CDRSS, continue to do so.

It may be preferable for test administrators having electronic laboratory reporting capabilities (HL7 messaging) to report into CDRSS. Test results can also be manually entered into CDRSS.

For new users, select the Quick Start Option for COVID-19 Training on the CDRSS home page.

Questions about reporting into CDRSS should be sent to cdrs.admin@doh.nj.gov.

Home-Based Tests

Health care professionals must report positive results from home-based tests, whether they are overseen by health professionals or sent to a laboratory, to public health authorities.

Self-tests, which are not CLIA-waived and allow for self-collection, testing, and interpretation of results, also require reporting under specific circumstances.

Health care providers and organizations conducting screening programs should notify the local health department (LHD) of any positive self-test results in scenarios of high-risk exposure or potential clusters or outbreaks, to facilitate necessary public health actions.

The New Jersey Department of Health Vaccine Operations Update Meeting for Providers

• To be added to the monthly meeting invite, visit https://forms.office.com/g/6kyT7PXkyy.

• Interim Clinical Considerations for Use of COVID-19 Vaccines: Appendices, References, and Previous Updates | CDC  
• Clinical Guidance for COVID-19 Vaccination | CDC  
• Safety considerations for mRNA and Novavax vaccines  
• General Best Practice Guidelines for Immunization  
• U.S. COVID-19 Vaccine Product Information | CDC   (Vaccine Storage and Handling Toolkit)

• Safety of COVID-19 Vaccines | CDC  
• COVID-19 Vaccine Effectiveness | COVID-19 | CDC  

• Vaccines are free for most people through the Vaccines for Children Program, most commercial/private insurance, Medicare, and most Medicaid programs like the Family Care Plan A. Other funding sources include the State-Funded COVID-19 Program, the Adult 317 Program, and the Vaccines for Children Program (VFC).
• Advise patients they can find vaccines by contacting their Local Health Departments  and/or a Federally Qualified Health Center  , or by calling the CDC Info Line at 1-800-232-0233.
• Tell patients to call the LHD and or the FQHC before visiting to verify participation in the State-Funded COVID-19 Vaccine Program and confirm that they have the COVID-19 vaccine that they want in stock.

Patient and provider eligibility are as follows:

• Patients who cannot locate COVID-19 vaccines for themselves or their child might be eligible to receive vaccine through this program.
• Providers must have previously participated in the State-Funded, COVID-19, Vaccines for Children (VFC), or Adult 317 Programs.
• Other eligible providers include Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs), Local Health Departments (LHDs), non-profit organizations, and any private practices that will conduct community-based clinics.
• Effective November 21, 2024, state-funded COVID-19 vaccines will be ordered by enrolled state-funded providers through the New Jersey Immunization Information System (NJIIS), similar to the current ordering process for VFC and 317 vaccines. Vaccine shipments will be sent directly to participating sites.
• Please note that there is a limited supply of doses. Orders will be processed based on vaccine availability and the site’s capacity to administer the vaccine safely and efficiently with minimal waste.

• COVID-19 vaccines are currently available through the Adult 317 Program for uninsured and underinsured adults aged 19 and older. The New Jersey Department of Health (NJDOH) is able to provide these vaccines using temporary, supplemental federal funding. The long-term availability of the COVID-19 vaccine through the Adult 317 Program is uncertain at this time.

• To enroll, visit Vaccines for Children Program Provider Enrollment Package Pediatric.
• For more information about the NJ VFC program, visit Vaccines for Children, email vfc@doh.nj.gov, or call 609-826-4862.
• VFC patients can visit For the Public (nj.gov).

Advise patients of the following options:

• Rapid at-home tests can be purchased online or in pharmacies and retail stores; some insurance may cover the costs. Patients can visit the FDA's website   to check test expiration dates.
• To find PCR or antigen tests performed at a health care facility, and or low- or no-cost testing for everyone, including people without insurance, visit the following websites: local health department or a community-based testing location  , such as a pharmacy or health center  .

• There are Updated Hospital Reporting Requirements for Respiratory Viruses (NCIRD, CDC)  , which became effective November 1, 2024.
• New Jersey’s metrics
• CDC metrics  
• Information on New Jersey’s wastewater surveillance program
• CDC wastewater surveillance