Tampa-Citrus Park COVID-19 Frequently Asked Questions at AFC Urgent Care

COVID-19 Testing and COVID-19 Vaccines are available for walk-in patients during normal clinic hours. Please contact your health insurance carrier about coverage for COVID-19 testing. Call our clinic for questions about self-pay prices.

The COVID-19 Pandemic has slowed down in the following years since its start, but it is helpful to understand how the virus spread, how to prevent the spread for vulnerable individuals, and symptoms to look out for in advanced cases of the virus.

The coronavirus that is responsible for COVID-19 belongs to a class of beta coronaviruses that caused the outbreak of SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) in 2003. SARS resulted in 8096 cases worldwide with 774 deaths (9.6% mortality). COVID 19 is also in the same class of beta coronaviruses as MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome) which appeared in 2012. There have been 2494 laboratory identified cases of MERS with 858 deaths (34.4% mortality). In comparison, since the end of 2019 (just 5 months as of April 2020), Coronavirus SARS-CoV 2 has been identified in 2,621,748 people worldwide with 183,030 deaths (6.9% mortality). It can be seen that the prevalence of this current coronavirus is much more widespread than the previous SARS and MERS outbreaks. That is why SOCIAL DISTANCING IS SO IMPORTANT. The actual death rate of COVID-19 will be affected as more testing becomes available.

When a person is exposed to the novel coronavirus, they may contract COVID-19. The incubation (time from exposure to the virus to when symptoms appear) is thought to occur within 14 days with most cases occurring 4-5 days after exposure.

The COVID-19 infection shares many similar symptoms to the flu that we experience every year. The severity of the COVID infection can be affected by things such as a patient’s age and underlying medical illnesses (high blood pressure, diabetes, chronic lung disease, cancer, chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, obesity). It is felt that some people may experience an “asymptomatic” (i.e. without symptoms) infection where others develop the typical fever, cough, sore throat, muscle aches, or headache. If you develop any of these symptoms it may indicate that you have contracted COVID-19, and may want to come in for an evaluation.. More advanced infection can result in findings such as increasing shortness of breath, pneumonia and confusion. If you develop these more serious symptoms, it is advised that you seek emergent medical care.