NxGen Laboratory Partnership

Kent County Health Department has partnered with a local Grand Rapids-based lab, NxGen MDx for community wide testing.  Since June 2020, this partnership has delivered thousands of free to the patient COVID-19 testing results..

  

NxGen MDx

NxGen MDx is the local testing authority that have committed to providing the test results for this project.

NxGen will:

  • Provide test kits.
  • Provide courier services from the testing site to the lab.
  • Test collected nasal swabs for markers of SAR-CoV-2 for individuals.
  • Provide the insurance billing.

Kent County Health Department

The Health Department will serve as the provider of technology and medical authority for this project.

KCHD will:

  • Provide medical oversight (our Medical Director is the Ordering Provider).
  • Provide the scheduling system for convenient scheduling and appointment management
  • Engage our technology contractor (Patient Education Genius) to supply a HIPAA secure environment that delivers the lab results to the individual being tested.
  • Provide assistance in managing positive case communication as needed.
  • The County of Kent is providing any uninsured resident the opportunity to get the test at no cost to them, through the use of Cares Act funding.

Interpreting your COVID-19 test results:

POSITIVE

If you have a POSITIVE test result, it is very likely that you have COVID-19. Therefore, you should isolate yourself to avoid spreading the virus to others.

Your healthcare provider will work with you to determine how best to care for you based on the test results along with other factors of your medical history, and your symptoms, possible exposures, and geographic location of places you have recently traveled. There is a very small, but unlikely chance that this test can give a POSITIVE result that is wrong (a false positive result).
NEGATIVE

A NEGATIVE test result means that the virus that causes COVID-19 was not found in your sample. For COVID-19, a NEGATIVE test result for a sample collected while a person has symptoms usually means that COVID-19 did not cause your recent illness. However, it is possible for this test to give a NEGATIVE result that is incorrect (false negative) in some people with COVID-19. This means that you could possibly still have COVID-19 even though the test is NEGATIVE.

If you received this test because you had symptoms common in COVID-19, please work with your healthcare provider. If this is the case, your healthcare provider will consider the test result together with all other aspects of your medical history (such as symptoms, possible exposures, and geographical location of places you have recently traveled) in deciding how to care for you. It is important that you work with your healthcare provider to help you understand the next steps you should take.
INCONCLUSIVE

If you have an INCONCLUSIVE test result, a marker that is found in COVID-19 was found in your sample, but not all markers common to COVID-19 were found. To be safe with your health and the health of the community, the Kent County Health Department treats INCONCLUSIVE results as POSITIVE results.

If you choose to retest, please continue to quarantine yourself until your test has been recollected and resulted.

Use our Quarantine and Isolation Calculator to find out how long your isolation is likely to last.

You Have Been Tested for COVID-19 – Now What?

DON’T:

Don’t leave home.  Limit your time outside the home to activities like receiving medical care.

Don’t share personal items.  Things like dishes, towels, and bedding should not be shared, even with family

Don’t use public transportation, if you have a choice.

DO:

Limit interaction with those around you.  Stay in a separate room (like a bedroom), away from others in your home.  Use a different bathroom, if you can.

Wear a mask or cloth face covering.  Make sure it covers your nose and mouth.  Remember to stay 6 feet away from people and pets.  People who are near you should also wear a mask or cloth face covering that covers their nose and mouth.

Use meal or grocery delivery services when possible.  You can ask family and friends for help.

Rest and drink water to stay hydrated.

Clean and disinfect things you touch (like light switches, doorknobs, tables and remotes.

Wash your hands.  Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.  If you do not have soap and water, use hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol.

Cover cough and sneezes.  Cough or sneeze into your elbor or tissue, then wash your hands.

Consider those living with you.  If you live with older adults or people with health conditions, think about whether there are other places that you can stay while your get well.

 

If your COVID-19 test result is POSITIVE, follow the DO’s and DON’Ts on the Waiting for Lab Results tab PLUS the following:

Answer the call.  The Kent County Health Department will call to find out if other people around you might get sick.  They can also help answer questions that you may have.

Watch for severe symptoms or other health emergencies.  If you need to call 911, let them know that you have COVID-19.

Stay in contact with the health department.  They can help figure out when to end isolation.  Continue in isolation until you can check all 3 items below.

◊ It has been 10 days since your positive test result or 10 days since you began showing symptoms AND

◊ You have been fever free for 72 hours (3 days) without taking fever-reducing medication AND

◊ All symptoms have improved (your cough or shortness of breath improved).

If your COVID-19 test result is NEGATIVE, you MAY still have COVID-19 and be in the early part of the illness or get COVID-19 in the future.

If you develop symptoms:

Stay home and away from others.  Until 72 hours (3 days) after symptoms are gone.

Call your doctor.  Ask if you should be tested again, or for another illness, if you continue to have symptoms of COVID-19.

You Were Tested – Summary document.

Contact Tracing: What to Expect

If you get a call from the Kent County Health Department or MI COVID HELP, answering your phone is important to protect your friends, family, neighbors and coworkers.

Your name will not be shared with anyone.

You will never be asked for personal identification, like a Social Security Number, Driver’s License, imigration status or credit card information.

The contact tracer will ask how you are feeling and about people you were in contact with recently.  They can also share tips to get well and protect others.

If you have any questions, there is a lot of information available at https://www.accesskent.com/COVID.

For questions about your returned test results, call the Kent County Health Department COVID Test Help line @ 616.632.7237