All patients must see our physician before receiving COVID-19 (Coronavirus) PCR testing.

COVID-19-related visits include a physician evaluation and a PCR test, which is the most accurate test available. The PCR test is billed to your insurance by the outside lab and results are typically available in 2-4 days.

A Quidel Rapid Antigen COVID-19 test (results in 15 minutes) may be added on the same day as a physician visit for a cash-pay price of $75.

The Rapid Antigen cash-pay price for asymptomatic patients who are uninsured or need testing for travel or employment is $100.

There is a $25 cash-pay price for the blood draw for an Antibody Test. Check with your insurance provider to see if they will cover the lab cost.

How Long Should You Quarantine After a Positive COVID-19 Test?

How Long Should You Quarantine After a Positive COVID-19 Test?

COVID-19 is a highly contagious illness that primarily spreads via respiratory droplets that become airborne when an infected person coughs, sneezes, or speaks, and are then inhaled by an uninfected person. If you test positive for COVID-19, you will need to take steps to avoid spreading the illness, such as separating yourself from other people. Your health care practitioner will provide specific instructions, which you should carefully follow.

Quarantine vs. Isolation

With regard to curtailing the spread of COVID-19, it can be helpful to understand the difference between quarantine and isolation. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), quarantine is intended to keep someone who might have been exposed to COVID-19 away from others, while isolation is intended to keep someone who is confirmed to be infected with COVID-19 away from others, even in their home. If you test positive for COVID-19, you are confirmed to be infected, which means you will need to self-isolate for a certain amount of time.

Do You Have COVID-19 Symptoms?

In general, if you test positive for COVID-19 and have mild to moderate symptoms, such as a low-grade fever or dry cough, it should be safe for you to be around other people if:

  • It has been 10 days or longer since your symptoms first appeared, and
  • It has been 24 hours or longer after your fever broke without the use of fever-reducing medications, and
  • Most of your symptoms are improving (if you are experiencing a new loss of taste or smell, those effects may linger up for several months after you recover from COVID-19 and do not need to extend your isolation period).

If you test positive for COVID-19 but do not have any symptoms, it should be safe for you to be around other people if it has been 10 days or longer since your test.

What Does Isolation Involve?

During your isolation period, you should stay home unless you must leave for an emergency or an essential medical appointment. Do not go to work, school, the grocery store, the post office, or anywhere else, and do not invite guests into your home. Separate yourself as much as possible from other household members. Use a separate bedroom and bathroom if available, and do not share drinking glasses, eating utensils, towels, bedding, cosmetics, or other personal items with anyone else.

As you recover from COVID-19, keep a close watch on your symptoms (if any) and check your body temperature a few times a day. If your fever or other symptoms worsen, contact a medical provider right away and be sure to explain that you have COVID-19. Get plenty of rest and drink lots of water to stay well-hydrated. If necessary, you can take an over-the-counter pain reliever or fever reducer as directed to help you feel better.

We Offer Convenient COVID-19 Testing & Other Urgent Care Services

South Tampa Immediate Care is committed to helping our patients and our Tampa, FL, community through these unprecedented times. In addition to a full slate of urgent care services, we’re pleased to offer COVID-19 PCR and Rapid Antigen testing. You can read about our COVID-19 testing services here.