Covid-19 Testing

COVID-19 testing at Low Cost Health Clinics provides answers when you need them. With seven offices in Anaheim, Riverside, Santa Ana, Corona, Costa Mesa, Cathedral City, and Indio, California, the Spanish- and English-speaking Low Cost Health Clinics specialists make it easy to get COVID-19 tests. Both rapid and PCR tests are available in the family practice and urgent care clinics. Call the office nearest you or book an appointment online today. Walk-ins are available seven days a week as well. 

What is rapid COVID-19 testing?

Rapid COVID-19 testing is also called antigen testing. It checks your nasal fluids (cells from the walls of your nasal passages) to look for protein fragments specific to the virus that causes COVID-19. 

Rapid testing, as the name says, offers a quick answer. It can tell you whether you have COVID-19 during the same visit to Low Cost Health Clinics. Results usually take 15-30 minutes because the practice has an in-house lab. 

Rapid testing is highly reliable. But, a negative rapid test can’t 100% rule out COVID-19. So, after a negative result, you’ll be “presumed negative.” For a definite answer to whether you have COVID-19, you need a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test. So, many people have both the rapid and PCR test. 

What is a PCR COVID-19 testing?

PCR COVID-19 testing checks your nasal fluid for the genetic material of the virus that causes COVID-19. This test can detect the virus soon after infection, even before you have any symptoms of COVID-19. 

The PCR COVID-19 test is often called the “gold standard” method of testing for the virus that causes COVID-19 because it’s the most accurate test available today. 

Because the PCR test analyzes your nasal fluid sample in more detail, it takes longer. In general, results take a few days but could come sooner. Low Cost Health Clinics will contact you as soon as your PCR test results are ready. 

When should I have COVID-19 testing?

If you have symptoms of COVID-19, have a test right away. Common symptoms are:

• Cough
• Difficulty breathing
• Fatigue
• Loss of taste or smell
• Body aches
• Headaches
• Sore throat
• Nasal symptoms (runny nose or congestion)
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Diarrhea

If you’re around someone who has COVID-19 but don’t have any symptoms, wait five days to test. Testing too soon after exposure could give you a false negative.

Some people who work in high-risk environments, like the health care field, may need regular COVID-19 screening tests for their job. 

Low Cost Health Clinics offers easy access to COVID-19 testing at all seven clinic locations in Southern California. You can walk into the nearest office for COVID-19 testing anytime, or call the office or click the online scheduling feature to arrange your test today.