Have you been to a drive up testing?

[mommyoffive]

Have you been to a drive up testing?

What kind of test do they do?

How long after symptoms can you go?

Would you go if you had no symptoms?

[YaelAldrich]

My husband has. They did a high nasal swab. No symptoms, but needed a negative test to travel. We are in Boston.

[MEmama]

DS had the nasal swab. There was no line; someone had to go find the doctor (no point in them just hanging around outside with nothing to do). 
 

Still need a doctor to request a test here AFAIK, so I guess it’s up to the individual doctor to determine if a test is necessary. 

[prairiewindmomma]

Nope.  You need a doctor's order to test and right now you have to be either about to enter a hospital or symptomatic + other (complications, high exposure position, etc.) to get a test.  We haven't gotten out of test shortages (ever) and the current turn around is about 2 weeks. 

(The tests in my state right now are primarily being allocated to workplace outbreaks, especially in food processing facilities, although there was recently a push to test the pacific islander communities because of an outbreak there in my town.)

[Melissa in Australia]

Yes twin 1and I have. We had to ring ahead  and book to get the time to drive up and so the paperwork Was done. They did a high nasal swab, we sat in the car the whole time.

both of us were negative.

we were told results would take 5 days, but it only took 4. 

Edited July 21, 2020 by Melissa in Australia

[mommyoffive]

4 hours ago, prairiewindmomma said:

Nope.  You need a doctor's order to test and right now you have to be either about to enter a hospital or symptomatic + other (complications, high exposure position, etc.) to get a test.  We haven't gotten out of test shortages (ever) and the current turn around is about 2 weeks. 

(The tests in my state right now are primarily being allocated to workplace outbreaks, especially in food processing facilities, although there was recently a push to test the pacific islander communities because of an outbreak there in my town.)

Ours doesn't say you need a doctor's permission, it says it is open to any state resident over the age of 5.

[fairfarmhand]

In Tennessee.

 

my dd 18 had one today. No dr needed. She and her coworkers had contact with a person who had contact with a positive. They work at a restaurant and one of the staff was close to a person with a positive case. And that positive case was at the restaurant last week, though not on the day my dd was there. 
 

she said it was a massively long q tip that felt like a flaming hot poker shoved up into her brain. Should get results in 7-10 days.

[mommyoffive]

32 minutes ago, fairfarmhand said:

In Tennessee.

 

my dd 18 had one today. No dr needed. She and her coworkers had contact with a person who had contact with a positive. They work at a restaurant and one of the staff was close to a person with a positive case. And that positive case was at the restaurant last week, though not on the day my dd was there. 
 

she said it was a massively long q tip that felt like a flaming hot poker shoved up into her brain. Should get results in 7-10 days.

Ahhhhhh that poker feeling really scares me.

[Ausmumof3]

5 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

Have you been to a drive up testing?

What kind of test do they do?

How long after symptoms can you go?

Would you go if you had no symptoms?

Yes not no I went with my husband who had the swab.  They did swab testing and it took next to no time.  He went because he had to ring in sick for work and they’re testing everyone with any symptoms of cold or flu whatsoever.  I would go without symptoms if I had good reason to think I’d been exposed but only if testing was readily available if there was major delays I’d probably just self isolate for the 14 days.

[Pippen]

I haven't been, but I know details about our drive up testing site. 

No doctors order required. No symptoms required now, but at first it was set up only for healthcare workers. No appointment needed.

Because there are testing shortages in the nation, I probably wouldn't get tested without symptoms unless I had a reason to think I might have been infected, or needed to rule out covid  for some reason. 

The state department of health suggests testing 5-8 days after being in gatherings or have in contact with someone who has tested positive and you don't have symptoms. Lesser likelihood of false negatives. 

You never leave the car. They collect your information ahead of entering. It's a DIY test site, so when you drive in they hand you the nasal swab and give you instructions. You hand it back and they give you a paper with info about getting results. 

People who are positive or inconclusive are getting results in day or so. Negatives are taking a few days longer. 

[Sunshine State Sue]

I had eye surgery last week and had to go 2 days prior for the COVID test.  I got in line at 7:30 and drove away at 8:10.  It was the high nasal swab.  My boss says it's like a roto rooter up your nose.  I agree.

They called me at 2:11pm with the results.  That impressed me.  Results were negative, as I expected.  Testing was not for the general public so I don't know what kind of speed other drive-in testing around here gets.

I wouldn't have done it if it wasn't for the surgery.

HTH.  Are you considering it because you've been exposed?

[YaelAldrich]

I should add my husband never received his results but they said if you don't hear from us assume it's negative. 🤔

[Meriwether]

I took one of my boys twice. Appointment needed but not a referral. It was the tickle your brain matter nasal swab. He got results within about 36 hours both time. The first was inconclusive,  so we went back. We went in the perfect window. If symptoms had passed, he would have just quarantined until safe to be out. He actually quarantined during the recommended time anyhow, since I was concerned about a false negative.

[mommyoffive]

5 minutes ago, Meriwether said:

I took one of my boys twice. Appointment needed but not a referral. It was the tickle your brain matter nasal swab. He got results within about 36 hours both time. The first was inconclusive,  so we went back. We went in the perfect window. If symptoms had passed, he would have just quarantined until safe to be out. He actually quarantined during the recommended time anyhow, since I was concerned about a false negative.

What is the perfect window?

[Meriwether]

Just now, mommyoffive said:

What is the perfect window?

From what I read it is long enough after symptoms start but before the virus is more likely to move down out of the nasal cavity. I'm not sure I used the best language there. But he got tested on days 3 and 5 of symptoms.

[MercyA]

4 hours ago, mommyoffive said:

Ahhhhhh that poker feeling really scares me.

It was bad for my husband but not too bad for me and not bad at all for my daughter (they used shorter swabs for kids). It was weird and uncomfortable for me but over quickly. For my husband, one nostril was fine and the other painful. 

Not nearly as bad as I was expecting. You'll be okay.

[J-rap]

My dh had the high nasal swab.  No symptoms, just necessary for surgery.  We drove up and parked, and when it was his turn, he got out of the car and walked to a tent to check-in.  The tester was standing in a plexiglass-like booth, and she stuck her gloved hands out the arm holes and tested him as he stood on the other side.  He said it was a very quick uncomfortable pain, but was over before you knew it and there was no lingering pain at all.  I know results came within 72 hours, because his surgery was 72 hours later.  

At that site, you did need a doctor's orders, but we have other sites that do not.

[kiwik]

Yes you drove up, got issued a face mask and gave basic details and a phone number.  Then you sat in the car park in your car until they phoned you. They then asked a bunch of questions, took pulse, of levels and temp, told you that you had to go straight home until the test results were negative and stuck a spike up your nose.