Information on Zika Virus Testing (outside of New York City)
Via the Department of Health
1. Talk to your health care provider about Zika.
At this time, you can get tested if you:
• Are pregnant, and travelled to a place where Zika virus was being transmitted while you were pregnant
• Are a man or woman who become (or became) ill with symptoms of Zika virus within 4 weeks of travel to a place where Zika virus is being transmitted.
2. Get a “Zika virus testing approval form” from your local health department (LHD)
Your health care provider will work with you and your LHD to get this approval. (Contact information for LHDs is available at http://www.nysacho.org/i4a/pages/index.cfm?pageID=3779)
You must get approval from your LHD before you can get tested. The form can be emailed to you or your health care provider, or the LHD can give it to you. The form could also be faxed.
3. Get a Zika virus test prescription from your health care provider
In addition to getting LHD approval for testing, your health care provider will give you a prescription for the lab tests that are needed.
4. Call the collection site to see if an appointment is needed
A list of hospitals and their laboratory telephone numbers is available to your provider and local health department.
5. Go to the collection site
You need to bring the approval form from the LHD and the prescription from your provider. The sample collection site is not able to provide any lab testing unless you give them both the health department approval form and the healthcare provider’s prescription.
At the collection site, blood and urine samples will be collected and sent to Wadsworth Center, the New York State public health laboratory, for Zika virus testing. There will be no charge to you for the blood and urine collection, shipping and testing. Make sure you wear short sleeves or sleeves that can easily be rolled up.
6. Results of your tests
Testing for Zika virus infection is a two-step process. The first test results will be available within a few days of the sample collection. However, in most cases, additional testing is required to determine if you were infected; these results may take up to 21 days due to the complicated nature of the tests involved. Some people may need additional blood samples collected three weeks after the first samples. Test results will be sent to your healthcare provider, and you can discuss your results and ask any questions you may have.
7. Questions?
Call your local health department or the New York State Department of Health at 1-888-364-4723.
Instructions for Zika virus testing for NYC residents can be found at: https://www.health.ny.gov/diseases/zika_virus/docs/testing_fact_sheet.pdf
