Getting Tested for Coronavirus in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island
It can be confusing and challenging if you think you may have Coronavirus (COVID-19) and need to figure out where to get tested, or even if you can get tested.
Below are the guidelines set up by the public health departments of Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island.
Massachusetts
- Reach out to your health care provider if you are symptomatic. They will see if you meet the criteria for testing.
- Your doctor will arrange for you to come in for testing, which involves taking test swabs and submitting them to the state lab.
- Massachusetts is only testing people who meet the CDC’s definition of “person under investigation,” and the state health department must approve before testing can be done.
- Test results are usually available within 24 hours, depending on the volume of tests that day.
- On Monday, state testing capacity quadrupled after the FDA approved the use of automated testing for the state health lab.
New Hampshire
- Call your doctor to discuss whether you should be considered for testing.
- Your provider will refer to the CDC criteria, which evaluates a combination of symptoms and risk factors to determine if you’re a candidate for testing.
- Providers collect specimens before sending them to the New Hampshire Public Health Laboratories for analysis.
- Results are generally available within 24 hours.
- More coronavirus information is available on the New Hampshire Department of Health and Human Services’ website.
Rhode Island
- If you are symptomatic, call your doctor to see if you should be evaluated and considered for state testing.
- Testing is decided on a case by case basis, considering symptoms, travel history and contact history.
- Specimens are collected by the provider, then sent to the Rhode Island Department of Health’s State Health Laboratories for analysis.
- Results are generally available within 24 to 48 hours.
- You can find more coronavirus information on Rhode Island Department of Health’s website.
Get The Country 102.5 Special Access Newsletter Sent To Your Inbox.
Enjoy the latest Country music, entertainment news, local happening you need to know, plus exclusive contests, games, and more!
By clicking "Subscribe" I agree to the website's terms of Service and Privacy Policy. I understand I can unsubscribe at any time.