Testing sites around North Texas are seeing an uptick in demand as omicron spreads.
If you are looking for a COVID-19 test, the federal government is sending four to every household in America -- go to covidtests.gov to request your free at-home rapid test. Tests should arrive at your home in 7-10 days.
If you need a test more quickly, the following providers are behind some of the larger testing sites around North Texas and may offer free rapid antigen tests with quick results or the more reliable PCR test which takes longer to process:
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CVS and Walgreens offer free testing at their pharmacies, but online appointments are booking fast as Christmas approaches.
Urgent care clinics also offer testing but can come with additional costs for seeing a doctor and long wait times.
Though free widespread testing is available, private labs promise speedy results at a cost. Companies like Any Lab Test Now have several locations across North Texas and offer several types of COVID tests with prices listed between $100 - $300 depending on the turnaround.
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The latest news from around North Texas.
My Labs Direct offers free COVID-19 testing for those with symptoms or who have been exposed to the virus at their four DFW locations but also offers a concierge service where they will travel to your home or office to test you for a price.
Dallas County
In addition to COVID tests, Dallas County Health and Human Services says flu tests will be available at some locations.
Dallas College North Lake Campus
5001 N McArthur Blvd, Irving
Start date: Monday, Jan. 10
Monday - Thursday 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
By appointment only. To schedule an appointment, visit: www.mycovidappointment.com
Tests Available: PCR COVID and FLU
Trinity View Park
2221 E State Highway 356, Irving
Start Date: Monday, Jan. 10
Monday - Saturday 8 a.m. - 5 p.m.
By appointment only. To schedule an appointment, visit: www.mycovidappointment.com or call 469-536-0807
Test Available: PCR COVID
Thurgood Marshall Recreation Center
5150 Mark Trail Way, Dallas
Start date: Tuesday, Jan. 11
Monday - Thursday 9 a.m. - 5 p.m.
By appointment only. To schedule an appointment, visit: www.mycovidappointment.com
Tests Available: PCR COVID and FLU
Fair Park - Lot 13
3809 Grand Ave, Dallas
Start date: Wednesday, Jan.12
Sunday - Saturday 7:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Appointments are encouraged. To schedule an appointment, visit: www.mycovidappointment.com
Tests Available: PCR COVID and FLU
Ellis Davis Field House
8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Open 7 days a week starting Jan. 6
9191 S. Polk Street
Samuell Grand Park, at The Cove Aquatic Center
Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. until 5 p.m. (by appointment only).
To schedule an appointment visit mycovidappointment.com or call 469-536-0807. Those needing tests are warned to expect longer wait times and results may be slightly delayed.
Owenwood Farm and Neighbor Space
1451 John West Road, Dallas
Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
Residents are required to have an appointment and can sign up for testing at https://DOCSHealthTesting.com.
New Birth Baptist Church
444 W. Ledbetter Drive, Dallas
Monday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Residents are required to have an appointment and can sign up for testing at https://DOCSHealthTesting.com.
Neighborhood Medical Center hosts a drive-thru clinic off the Dallas North Tollway. This location has been averaging 700 to 800 people per day since the uptick began before Christmas. Keep in mind people have reported waiting at this location for up to three hours or more.
Dallas College offers daily drive-thru testing at Richland and Mountain View campuses. Both provide free PCR tests with no appointment needed, but results often take 48 hours.
Parkland Health & Hospital System is opening a COVID-19 testing center near the hospital district north of downtown Dallas. The free testing center is located at the Amelia Court Clinic at 1936 Amelia Court. The site is closed on Sundays but will be open to the public Monday through Saturday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. by appointment only. Details here.
Nomi Health announced plans to open drive-thru sites in Frisco (see below) and southern Dallas at the Ellis Davis Field House. Neither requires an appointment, but you are encouraged to pre-register. The sites offer rapid antigen and PCR tests. Operators told NBC 5 to expect a one-hour turnaround for the results on the rapid tests and a 24-48 hour wait on the PCR test.
Tarrant County
Tarrant County Public Health said Tuesday FEMA will open a free drive-through testing site in a parking lot outside Choctaw Stadium in Arlington. The site will operate seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m. through Tuesday, Feb. 8, and will be located in Texas Rangers’ Sienna Lot M at 1205 Pennant Drive. Registration is required; pre-registration online is recommended to reduce wait times. Details here.
TCPH offers a number of testing locations which include drive-up or walk-in locations.
Splash Dayz (Opens Jan. 10)
8905 Clifford Street, White Settlement
Monday to Sunday: 9 a.m. to 7 p.m
Fort Worth ISD Scarborough-Handley Fieldhouse
8 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Tuesday/Thursday
6201 Craig Street, Fort Worth
Como Community Center
1 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday/Thursday
4660 Horne Street, Fort Worth
Appointments are highly recommended to reduce wait times. Those receiving tests can present the QR code provided upon making an appointment to expedite the testing process. To make an appointment and view other testing sites please visit the TCPH COVID-19 testing website.
Denton County
Denton County Public Health updates its website with upcoming drive-thru testing clinics. The next clinics are scheduled for the week after Christmas.
Collin County
Nomi Health announced plans to open drive-thru sites in Frisco at Toyota Stadium and southern Dallas (above). Neither requires an appointment, but you are encouraged to pre-register. The sites offer rapid antigen and PCR tests. Operators told NBC 5 to expect a one-hour turnaround for the results on the rapid tests and a 24-48 hour wait on the PCR test.
Toyota Stadium
6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
7 days a week
200 World Cup Way (Corolla Lot)
When Should I Get a COVID-19 Test?
Dr. Beth Kassanoff-Piper with the Dallas County Medical Society said if you have any symptoms, regardless of vaccination status, get tested.
“Certainly if anyone in your family has any symptoms at all, even if it’s a little sniffle, those people absolutely need to be tested before they would come to your family gathering,” Kassanoff-Piper said.
Though increasingly hard to find on pharmacy shelves, she believes the rapid antigen at-home test BinaxNOW can be a great tool before gatherings.
“The home tests are very good at telling us if someone is contagious with COVID,” Kassanoff-Piper said. “They aren’t the most sensitive test, but if a home test or the rapid Antigen test is negative then we know people don’t have enough viral particles floating around that they could be contagious to somebody else.”
Doctors said the at-home tests are best used immediately before gathering, even if you are fully vaccinated for peace of mind.
“You can feel safe at that event that you’re not potentially going to spread COVID to somebody else,” said Kassanoff-Piper. “But that window of protection is not multiple days long. It really has to be done within a few hours of an event, certainly within 24 hours.”
As for rethinking holiday plans and travel, doctors said it depends on your health and vaccination status.
"I think if you’re perfectly healthy and you’ve been vaccinated and boosted and the people you’re going to visit are the same and you wear your mask consistently and do all the right things to travel, I think you can do that," Kassanoff-Piper said. "But if you are really high-risk or if you have any reason to think that you didn’t respond well to the vaccine or you haven’t had your booster, I think I would be very cautious about traveling at this time."
