It seemed too good to be true: Free, at-home COVID tests. Convenient. No lines. Results within a few days.
Turns out, it was. On New Year’s Eve, the Morris County Freeholders (soon to be Commissioners) announced they are discontinuing the at-home tests, except for homebound, symptomatic residents.
People were hoarding these saliva test kits, according to a statement from the Freeholders.
“About 16,300 of the at-home Vault tests have been ordered, yet only 7,500 have been returned with samples for testing,” the statement said. The at-home program was announced on Dec. 5, 2020.
Free walk-up testing will continue at the County College of Morris in Randolph.
“The transition is necessary because more than 50 percent of the people who have ordered the at-home Vault tests have hoarded them, forcing authorities to focus Morris County’s limited COVID-19 testing resources on programs that are not as easily abused,” the Freeholders said.
Below is the full statement.
From the Morris County Freeholders:
Morris County Modifying COVID-19 Testing Plan to Focus on CCM Center
At-Home Testing To Be Discontinued Except for Homebound Residents
Morris County will modify its no-cost COVID-19 testing efforts by next week to focus on the walk-up service provided by appointment-only at the County College of Morris and phase out at-home-tests for all but homebound, symptomatic residents.
Municipal leaders throughout the county were told of the modified testing plan in a conference call yesterday, and they were urged to help the county find transportation alternatives for residents who do not drive, but who otherwise would be able to use the walk-up testing center at CCM.
That testing operation was opened at the Student Center in Randolph earlier this month and requires individuals to preregister for a test through the Morris County COVID-19 website.
Individuals who are symptomatic and unable to leave their home will still be able to order no-cost, at-home tests through the Morris County COVID-19 website. But the only at-home test available after next week will be a federally-supported nasal test known as Pixel, which is provided by Lab Corp.
A second at-home test, which is a saliva test offered over the past month through Vault Health, is being phased out. The transition is necessary because more than 50 percent of the people who have ordered the at-home Vault tests have hoarded them, forcing authorities to focus Morris County’s limited COVID-19 testing resources on programs that are not as easily abused.
About 16,300 of the at-home Vault tests have been ordered, yet only 7,500 have been returned with samples for testing. While the Pixel at-home testing is supported through a federal grant, Morris County has fronted the costs of all Vault testing in the county, including the CCM center, a community testing program operated through the Zufall Health and the at-home tests that must now be discontinued.
Morris County has received very limited aid under the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act to respond to the pandemic. It was one of 12 New Jersey counties left to fund their own COVID-19 pandemic response efforts last spring when $1 billion in direct CARES Act relief dollars was provided to nine other counties to share. The nine counties received from $87 million to as much as $162 million, while the rest of New Jersey received nothing.
The CARES Act direct aid was conditioned on whether a county’s population, based on the 2010 Census, exceeded 500,000 residents. Morris County missed the mark by 7,724 residents, but worked with state and federal representatives, as well as the Governor’s office, to eventually secure more than $7 million in CARES dollars last August to pay for past testing efforts and continue testing programs into the New Year.
From the comments on Facebook and here, and from my own experience, it seems that many people received more tests than ordered. Are the extra tests that have been sent counted in the total number? Have the freeholders looked at system errors or are they just looking for a reason to scrap the program and decided to blame residents?
This is a much needed program and solved one of the biggest issues with the pandemic, the lack of testing. This is a callus and reactionary decision rather than one that has been thought through and thoroughly investigated.
This was a great program, rather than “scrapping” it, could the administrators have implemented guidelines such as: one must return their kit within XX number of days? Testing is so difficult to arrange and so stressful on the recipient, it’s a real shame that this is no longer an option for Morris County folks.
Is it that people got so many and hoarded or that the system is not working properly. Have the freeholders call the people that ordered the tests. We were sent 2 tests for one child and not the other. This morning it took us 1 hour to order another test and we had to pay which they are now reimbursing because of the error in the system. Just something to think about before taking away a wonderful service which we are so grategul for 😊
And how many showed up on Ebay?
Stopping the free at home COVID testing is wrong . Punish the people that caused the problems that Leeds to cancellation of this great program.
Instead of canceling the home Covid testing make changes to stop abusers but allow others to be comfortable at home safe to take the test.
Fail to understand why stopping this worthwhile program and punishing those who need it , while letting those who abused it, get away with their crime, could not have been handled in a more common sense way.
I am totally disappointed to learn that the free at-home testing service through Vault has been discontinued due to “hoarding”. In my mind, hoarding is 1 person ordering 6 tests — not six people ordering one test each and holding on to it for future use, which may very well be what we are seeing here. (And yes, I know that it says that test must be taken in 10 days, but let’s face it people don’t always read the fine print). And if, per chance, there are people stockpiling tests, shouldn’t there have been a mechanism put in place to avoid that. There are many other instances across the internet when multiple requests can be denied. Officials tell us Get Tested. Get Tested. Get Tested. And up until now I have avoided because I don’t want to stand on a line or sit in a clinic with other possible infected people. This was a safe, effective way to do my duty and get tested. And now it’s gone. I certainly hope that the vaccine process goes better — but I’m doubtful
I ordered a test prior to the holiday. I received it on Dec 14, took the test and sent it back that day. 4 days later I got *another* test delivered to me that I never requested. The test was delivered via UPS with the same tracking number as the first. If I look at the tracking number I see a delivery on the 14th and on the 18th. I tried to contact Vault about it but haven’t received a response. I don’t know why I received 2 tests, I only needed 1. If this happens to others it may somewhat account for the “hording” that is being reported.
This makes NO SENSE. In my opinion, hoarding is 1 person ordering 6 tests — not 6 people ordering 1 test each for future use which is what I believed has taken place. (Granted it says you must use in 10 days, but some users may have missed the fine print). Officials keep advising us to Test Test Test. And then a program that makes it easy is ripped away.