Notice to Public

October 15, 2021

Health Department Asks Residents to Report Positive COVID-19 Results from At-Home Tests

COVID-19 testing options have expanded over the past several months. At-home test kits are now available at retail stores and pharmacies. Residents should report positive results from at-home test kits to Franklin County Public Health Services. This can be done by calling 518-481-1709.

Some at-home COVID-19 tests are supervised by a lab or medical professional, usually by video chat. The results are either mailed to a lab for processing, or processed at home. If the test syncs to an app or is sent out to a lab, these results are automatically reported.

Other at-home antigen tests, such as the Binax NOW Self-Test, are simple and affordable. These tests do not include a mechanism to report results into the state's reporting system.

Many different home tests are available for sale. Tracking the name of make, Lot Number, and the manufacturer will be very helpful when reporting your home test positive result to FCPHS.

It is very important to track COVID cases so our community can act quickly to prevent further spread. Residents may want to use prior recent infection as a way to travel or attend large public events. These results can also be used to avoid quarantine after an exposure. To do this, the prior infection must be documented by the health department.