COVID-19 Rapid Testing in Coral Springs, FL

The COVID rapid test is an antigen detecting test, so it is testing for the presence of the specific antigens in your mucous that are only present in the SARS-CoV-2 virus.

Antigens are molecules and proteins that are all unique and are recognized by the immune system to identify different viruses or bacteria so that the immune system can read them and react accordingly to eliminate them from the body. They have become incredibly useful throughout the COVID pandemic as they are able to provide results within 20 minutes and are easy for people to do at home without the aid of a health care professional. Urgent situations such as checking into a hospital, travelling, or going to work have been made much safer due to the rapid testing available for COVID, but it should be noted that the antigen tests are slightly less sensitive than the PCR tests that are done by medical professionals, meaning they are less accurate with results.

The primary characteristics that define a rapid diagnostic test are focused on how quickly they take to provide results and how simple the test is to do. They are also often referred to as POC (point of contact) tests or lateral-flow, immunochromatographic tests and each individual one is used to detect a specific infection. Many of the tests are used commonly for returning travelers to check for infections such as malaria or ebola, but can also be used for infections such as influenza or sexually transmitted infections. The specimen that is collected for this kind of test is usually quick and easy to procure, for example, urine samples, blood samples, swabs, or stool samples.

There are a few situations in which you should consider getting tested to ensure your safety and the safety of those with whom you will come into contact. The clearest indicator that you should get tested for COVID is if you are experiencing any of the common symptoms such as fever or chills, a cough, muscle or body aches, new loss of sense of taste or smell, a sore throat, runny nose, for example. If you learn that someone you were in contact with recently has tested positive for COVID, it is recommended that you wait for 5 days since you last had contact with them to get tested to allow for the test to provide more accurate results. If you get tested too soon after exposure to the virus, the test may provide a false negative.

As well, if you are engaging in high-risk settings or will be interacting with an at-risk population, you may need to provide a negative COVID test as part of a screening program.

If you use a COVID take-home rapid antigen test, you will be able to see the results of the test within 20 minutes. For those who receive a COVID-19 rapid test done by a health care professional in a testing site, the means of which you will receive the results can vary depending on where you go. Walking Urgent Care is fortunate to be able to provide onsite laboratory services, allowing for much faster results for tests. If you would like to receive a rapid COVID-19 through our on-site laboratory services, please call our office to allow us to make sure we can have someone available at a time that is convenient for you with a minimal wait.

For more information, contact us or schedule an appointment online. We are located at 10308 W Sample Rd, Coral Springs, FL 33065. We serve patients from Coral Springs FL, Margate FL, Tamarac FL, Coconut Creek FL, North Lauderdale FL, Parkland FL, and surrounding areas.