HHS updated guidance on March 8 related to reporting COVID-19 test results. Effective April 4, 2022, negative test results for non-Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAATs) are no longer required to be reported. This means that nursing homes conducting point of care antigen tests and other non-NAAT testing in response to symptoms, as part of outbreak testing, or during routine staff screening testing, are required to report positive test results ONLY. Reporting of negative test results will be optional.

Requirements for the method and timing of reporting test results remain unchanged. Test results must be reported within 24 hours. Test results may be reported to public health, through a centralized health agency platform, through a state or regional health information exchange, or through the National Healthcare Safety Network (NHSN) system.

Results of all nucleic acid amplification tests (NAAT), both positive and negative, must still be reported. Check out the updated guidance, effective April 4, here. Review current guidance, in effect since January 2021, here.