Steps To Get Tested For COVID-19

Yes. In addition to our standard infection control protocols, which include sanitizing exam rooms and tablets between patients and sanitizing common areas regularly throughout the day, we have taken additional steps to protect our patients and staff which include:

• Encouraging social distancing by asking patients to wait in their cars after check-in.
• Requiring all patients to wear face coverings.
• Referring any patient with a respiratory illness to our virtual telehealth service.
• Dedicating certain locations to solely performing diagnostic COVID-19 testing. Many of our locations offer COVID-19 antibody testing for asymptomatic patients and continue to offer the same urgent care services you know and trust.

For your safety and for the safety of our staff, we do require appointments for PCR testing. Please call one of our designated testing centers where a MD Now team member will complete a brief screening with you over the phone. If you meet the CDC-based screening criteria for COVID-19 testing, a team member will walk you through the next steps of your care. If you are not symptomatic and want to know if you have had the coronavirus, antibody testing is available at many of our clinics on a walk-in basis.

Our test for infection is authorized by the FDA. In collaboration with one of the top CLIA-certified high complexity laboratories in the nation and one that is qualified to perform this type of testing, MD NOW’s COVID-19 PCR assay is cleared by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under the Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).

The current test we use to detect COVID-19 infection is called a nasopharyngeal swab. The provider will use the swab to get a sample to send to the lab.

Results are usually available within 72 hours, but it may take longer due to the current levels of demand and volume at the lab.

Yes, the PCR test for infection will allow MD Now to provide clearance for COVID-19. If you test positive, you will have to return after a 14 day quarantine and will need to test negative before you can be cleared. Please be aware some employers may require two negative PCR tests 24 hours apart in order to return to work.

People with COVID-19 have had a wide range of symptoms reported – ranging from mild symptoms to severe illness.

These symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure to the virus:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
• Chills
• Repeated shaking with chills
• Muscle pain
• Headache
• Sore throat
• New loss of taste or smell

If you experience any of these symptoms, we encourage you to call us or make a telemedicine appointment. We will be able to evaluate your symptoms and tell you the next steps to take.

Please be aware some people may have uncommon symptoms like nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea, conjunctivitis, signs of a stroke, or rashes such as hives, blister-type lesions, or blue finger tips and toes. Children may present with the signs and symptoms of Kawasaki’s Disease. Older individuals may also present with unusual symptoms such as confusion, sleeping more, dizziness, or decreased appetite.

If your symptoms become severe, call 911.

The best way to prevent illness is to avoid being exposed to COVID-19. It is thought Coronavirus is spread mainly from person-to-person who are in close contact through respiratory droplets produced from an infected person. To reduce the spread of COVID-19 everyone should:

• Wash their hands regularly. If soap and water is not readily available use hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.
• Avoid touching their eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.
• Avoid close contact with people who are sick, stay home as much as possible and put distance between themselves and others.
• Cover their mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others.
• Cover coughs and sneezes.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily.

Visit the CDC website for more tips on handwashing techniques and how to further protect yourself and others.

We encourage you to check the following websites for the latest information and updates about Coronavirus.

• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
• Florida Department of Health
• Food and Drug Administration