Was looking into CV testing for a family member this morning and I have gone through 4 pre-screening forms (CVS, Walgreens, Walmart, UMMC, etc) and I can't seem to find a place where I can get an appointment until June 30th. Either the websites are crashing or there is nothing available. DelMar and Butler are running out of tests every morning obviously. I would say that this was due to the inclement weather, but future dates are also booked.

What is the best way to get a test quickly in Houston?

Have you looked into the various urgent care centers?

lunchbox said:

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Have you looked into the various urgent care centers?

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This. Most of them will take you if you have insurance.

Under the umbrella of Texas Division of Emergency Management, they basically say they aren't taking appointments anymore
https://txcovidtest.org/closed

Quote:

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Website entries have been disabled due to appointment availability. Due to excessive request volume, average phone call wait times are greater than 30 minutes. You may visit the TX CoVID-19 Test Collection Sites Map for additional site locations.

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So basically now I have checked every single testing site on https://houstonemergency.org/covid-19-testing with no luck.

I'll look into urgent care.

https://www.houstonmethodist.org/coronavirus/testing/

Houston Methodist patients needing a COVID-19 test must have an order from their physician as well as a scheduled appointment. Please talk to your physician about scheduling a test and call 713.441.5509 for directions to the appropriate location. For more information, please download our COVID-19: Testing Information flyer.

For patients undergoing surgery or a procedure, we recommend scheduling your COVID-19 test at least 3 business days before your surgery or procedure. Testing hours are 8 a.m. - 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Please be sure to wear a mask.
Enhanced Safety Measures
Your safety is our number one priority. We have implemented the following measures:

• You will be in the clinic about 5 minutes.
• Only 1 patient will be allowed inside the clinic at a time.
• Clinic staff will not come closer than 6 feet, except to swab during testing.
• The test technician will be wearing a gown, gloves and a face mask with a shield or be behind Plexiglass shielding.
• All patient areas are disinfected for 5 minutes between each patient.

I got a test yesterday at a memorial herman emergency clinic right outside my neighborhood

logged on at 11am and was able to make my appointment online for 1pm

its not the rapid test mind you, but i was literally in and out in 30 minutes with the good news of a positive strep test and some antibiotics

Harris County has a big testing site at San Jac in Pasadena and apparently one in Cypress

https://www.chron.com/neighborhood/champions-klein/news/article/Free-COVID-19-testing-sites-relocate-to-Pasadena-15304509.php

Looks like you have to take a self assessment

I'm hearing it's tough to get a test if you don't have severe symptoms or not high risk.

Thanks to your advice, we were able to get an appointment at a local Urgent Care place for a test.

Just a heads up...my whole family got tested on Friday at an urgent care clinic and we only have back 1 of 4 results. Serious backlog at the private labs.

I got an email from Quest Diagnostics saying they were testing.

If you just want to pay $200 and take test today and get results in roughly 36 hours then you can get one here:
https://breathemd.org/appointments

Located at Kirby and Richmond.

Edit: Looks like they are booked today but openings throughout Friday. Closed on weekends so would have to do next Monday/Tuesday if not tomorrow.

Gator03 said:

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If you just want to pay $200 and take test today and get results in roughly 36 hours then you can get one here:
https://breathemd.org/appointments

Located at Kirby and Richmond.

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Have you (or anyone else) done this one? Says it's a no-swab test which is something I'm totally down with. I'd pay the two bills to not having something go up my nose.

Yeah, it's just saliva in a cup. No way up the nose nasal swab.

i have done the swabs, it isnt that bad.

I was tested yesterday at Delmar due to coworkers testing positive. Called in at 7:45am, was on hold for 30min, got authorization code after 3min conversation. Got to Delmar by 8:45am, waited in car for 60min, test took 3min. 3-5 day wait for results.

On my way home I snapped a picture of the line for testing at the TC Jester/W18th urgent care (or Walgreens?). Line was backed up all the way to Queen Donut.

Ferris Wheel Allstar said:

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i have done the swabs, it isnt that bad.

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This. I was in and out within 20 minutes or so, and the swab was not a bother. They did both nostrils.

Test was scheduled for 3:20 and back home within the hour. They can do rapid test or molecular test, but recommended molecular since a rapid test may need to be validated with a molecular.

Which place did you go to?

Eldridge Urgent Care off fo Eldridge near Memorial. They told us 4-5 days wait for results which lines up with what another poster said. Paid $150.

Seemed that there are quite a few Urgent Care places with availability running both the rapid test and molecular test.

Symptoms? You feel bad?

I'm fine, my wife has fever, cough, etc. Made sure she got tested.

There are a lot of places that won't test you unless you see one of their doctors... which sucks because I saw a doc on video and got a letter from them requesting a test. But many places wouldn't test me.

There's a stand-alone ER in Katy that had immediate availability, but it was $300 for the test. I opted for an urgent care down the road, and I've been sitting here for 2 and a half hours. No test yet.

It really is a CF

Gator03 said:

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If you just want to pay $200 and take test today and get results in roughly 36 hours then you can get one here:
https://breathemd.org/appointments

Located at Kirby and Richmond.

Edit: Looks like they are booked today but openings throughout Friday. Closed on weekends so would have to do next Monday/Tuesday if not tomorrow.

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Have you used them?

Yeah I did. Very easy.

Gator03 said:

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Yeah I did. Very easy.

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Did you do the test for the virus or for the antibodies?

I'm less concerned about the virus, but quite curious to see about the antibodies

I did virus. Not sure about the antibody test but they were quick and efficient on the virus so I'm sure it would be the same for the antibody.

For the virus you just drive into parking lot and park in one of a handful of spots they've reserved. A tech comes out and gets your name then brings back container with your name and info on it to spit in. Then comes back after a minute or two to get it from you.

That's it. You'll be texted if you're negative and called if you're positive.

No long lines or anything like that. Couldn't be easier.

Note: They do not take insurance. That's what makes the process easy and efficient. If you have $200 you just sign up for a time online, pay, and then go do the test. Going through insurance I was going to have to wait for a while to do it and then have to drive somewhere and potentially wait hours in line.

I took an antibody test at thrive for $120. It's easy and fast.

Wife and I got tested last Friday at Signature ER on Hwy 6 south of West Little York. Their procedure (Or at least it was last week) is to hand out appts in person each day on a first come, first serve basis beginning at 6am. We got in line at 6am Thursday morning and had about 150 people in line in front of us. We got the last two appts they were giving out that day (3am Friday morning). We showed up around 2:45am Friday morning the line was already down the side of the building about 30 people long. The desk staff said the first person got in line around midnight. The test was the rapid nasal swab test. We got results in about 15 mins (both negative), but we can both still feel where that swab touched brain in the back of our sinuses.

I should mention, at the Eldridge Urgent Care, they were doing throat swabs, not nasal swabs. I am sure there are some out there who may be willing to drive a ways to avoid doing the nasal swab.

Just to clarify, we got in line at 6am. The time slot we were given was 3am. When we showed up at 3am we didnt have to wait in line. But yes, there were people there in line at 2:45am. I would not have even been willing to stand in line at 6am except for the fact that we had both been travelling for work and my wife was feeling body aches, fatigue, and congestion. We were supposed to go visit her 79 yr old father for fathers day weekend and didnt want to bring something with us that might kill him. But the system they are using is less than ideal. No reason they cant let people set appt times over the phone instead of standing in line.

I did the county testing at Pridgeon Stadium in JV; Delmar is much closer but wasn't an option and it took an hour and a half of waiting in my car and was a self-administered nose swab that wasn't bad. It pretty much always says they've reached their daily capacity when you click the link under 'free Harris County testing' so you need to try around midnight or very early in the morning.

https://www.readyharris.org/Get-Tested

Link under free testing:
https://covcheck.hctx.net/