#Same day pcr covid test atlanta free

My daughter who was under the weather recently got (negative) PCR nasal swab results within 24 hours, and some clinics I called said results for PCR tests are taking about 48 hours on average.īut there are reports of quick-turnaround testing still being a real challenge from people in some locations such as Tampa, Chicago and Upstate New York. Of all the possible outcomes I was given at the places I contacted, no one said, 'Yes, we can test you for travel purposes and provide rapid results.'īut now, in late-August, things are better in this area. To give you an accurate picture of what was happening as Texas was experiencing a case and testing surge, here were June posted waits at some urgent care centers in Texas, which were some of the easiest places to get tested. One of the tests I took this summer simply got lost and results never came. You'll be lucky if you have them within a week. Then, once you get a test, you can forget about receiving results within 72 hours. Clinics are running out of tests and rationing what they have on hand. Related: The best Texas road trips from Houstonįacilities were out of tests, there were warnings of lines that form early and drag on for hours with results that can take a couple of weeks and other facilities only testing symptomatic patients. In my quest in June and July to find somewhere - anywhere - to provide a PCR coronavirus test with results available within 72 hours, I found virtually no real options. Personally, I live in Texas outside Houston. Now, three to five days is common if you're lucky, and it can drag on longer than two weeks in areas experiencing a surge in cases and demand.

For example, CVS has been expanding drive-thru testing in many areas, but not all will test someone who reports no symptoms or high-risk exposure.Įven if you can get a test when you want it, the wait time for results has been creeping upwards, even in places where it was a one- or two-day wait just a few weeks ago. There's also the issue that not everywhere will test you if you aren't symptomatic. The odds that you can get a PCR coronavirus test and results timed perfectly within 72 hours of travel ranges from great to almost impossible, depending on where you are and whether that area is experiencing a surge of cases and testing demand. Securing a coronavirus test isn't always easy The Points Guy will not share or sell your email. I would like to subscribe to The Points Guy newsletters and special email promotions. Related: Do you need a negative coronavirus test to fly?Īs more states and countries say they'll allow visitors to enter without quarantine if - and only if - they bring negative coronavirus test results completed within 72 hours (or sometimes as few as 48 hours) before a trip, I was curious about how feasible that really is for Americans across the country. Like most destinations, Alaska has said it will require a PCR test as proof of negative infection status. Destinations requiring negative coronavirus test resultsĪlaska allows you to enter without quarantine if you bring a negative COVID-19 test completed within 72 hours of travel.

#Same day pcr covid test atlanta free

Sign up for the free daily TPG newsletter for more travel news and tips. That means fall travel beyond the borders of your home state could be difficult for some. Even if you can find somewhere to give you the test when you want it, that doesn't mean the lab that processes the test will be able to get you the results when you need them. Namely, there's the reality that, while things seem to be improving on the whole, it's still almost impossible to quickly get a coronavirus test (and the results) within 72 hours in some parts of the country - especially if you're getting the test for reasons other than being symptomatic. That's precisely how TPG's founder and CEO, Brian Kelly, pulled off a weekend getaway to Antigua with no quarantine and a trip to Croatia, also without quarantine.īut before you assume you'll be able to replicate that type of success story, there are a few things to consider. is that even though we really aren't included in any international 'travel bubbles' right now, there are still a number of countries we can visit if we pack a negative coronavirus test taken within the last 72 hours. The good news for those of us in the U.S.