Visit www.covidtests.gov to order your free COVID tests. Every home in the U.S. is eligible to receive up to 4 free COVID-19 tests. Order your tests as soon as possible so you have them when you need them. Orders will usually ship in 7-12 days. If you cannot wait and...
03. Testing
How can I find affordable COVID-19 testing?
Use this tool from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) to find a site near you, and call and ask the facility about potential costs before going for a test. If there is going to be a fee for testing, and if you are uninsured or undocumented, talk to the...
What should I do if I believe a COVID testing site is not operating properly and want to file a complaint?
Call your municipality to report your issues with testing sites. Municipalities have the authority to deny or revoke business licenses. If you believe there may be fraud or other criminal activity associated with a testing facility, please contact the Illinois...
Should people get themselves tested after celebrating winter holidays with people outside their homes?
Yes. People should get tested for COVID after spending time with people that do not live in the same household as them, especially if they have symptoms or are returning from travel.
Is testing in order to stay in school (so-called “Test-to-Stay”) recommended to schools as an alternative to traditional quarantine, as a way to minimize absenteeism and learning loss?
On Dec. 17, 2021, CDC released two reports in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report highlighting the use of test-to-stay practices used in schools to minimize absenteeism and learning loss which can occur during traditional quarantine at home. In light of this...
If a healthcare worker at a clinic in suburban Cook County tests positive for COVID, should this be reported to CCDPH, IDPH or another agency?
Positive test results are reported to the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and local health departments using a system called I-NEDSS (Illinois' National Electronic Disease Surveillance System). Contact tracing is then conducted to let contacts know they...
What is the definition of an outbreak in pre-K-12 schools?
CDC recommends that all states define school-associated outbreaks according to the standards established by the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE): (A) “multiple cases comprising at least 10% of students, teachers, or staff within a specified core...
Why doesn’t the health department rely on at-home tests?
COVID-19 tests that you can buy over the counter and take at home can sometimes be less accurate. Because of that, the public health department does not use at-home tests to track cases or make public health decisions.
When can an unvaccinated teacher return to school after testing positive?
Whether vaccinated or not, any employee who tests positive for COVID should immediately isolate at home. If they have symptoms, isolation should continue for 10 days starting with the day symptoms began. If they have no symptoms, isolation should continue for 10 days...
If I have an employee who has tested positive, but who has been fully vaccinated, how long should they isolate?
Whether vaccinated or not, any employee who tests positive for COVID should immediately isolate at home. If they have symptoms, isolation should continue for 10 days starting with the day symptoms began. If they have no symptoms, isolation should continue for 10 days...