COVID-19 testing and COVID-19 antibody testing available at AFC Urgent Care South Philly
If you suspect you have symptoms of COVID-19, please make a telemedicine visit.
AFC Urgent Care South Philly has COVID-19 antigen and antibody testing capabilities at our center. If you have COVID symptoms, getting tested is a two-step process. The first step is to schedule a telemedicine video visit with one of our doctors. During the telemedicine visit you will be given a specific time to come to our center for the actual test. In most cases, your appointment time will be the following day. This process allows for better management of the high demand for tests, and helps to minimize the wait time for patients. Click here to book a telemedicine visit. For more information, please click here.
Can I walk-in and get a COVID-19 test?
If you are paying out of pocket for a COVID-19 test, you can walk in to receive a test. If you would like to use your insurance for a COVID-19 test or have COVID symptoms and are interested in having a COVID-19 test book a telemedicine video visit with one of our doctors. During the telemedicine visit, you will be given a specific time to come to our center for the actual test. In most cases, your appointment time will be the following day. This process allows for better management of the high demand for tests and helps minimize the wait time for patients. Click here to book a telemedicine visit. For more information, please click here.
How long does it take for me to receive PCR test results?
Normally, COVID-19 PCR test results return in 1 to 3 days. During periods of high demand for COVID-19 testing, results may take longer. We use LabCorp to process our COVID-19 PCR tests, and the time it takes to get results changes daily. Our providers do their best to give you an estimate of when test results are expected, but a time for returned results cannot be guaranteed.
How much is a COVID-19 test?
The out-of-pocket cost for the COVID-19 test is $150. Some insurances will cover the cost of a COVID-19 test, but they often require a telemedicine appointment first. Please check with your insurance for COVID-19 testing coverage as they are often changing.
Do I need a referral from my primary care doctor to get a COVID-19 test?
No referral is needed at this time.
What are the symptoms of the coronavirus? How long do they take to appear?
This coronavirus shares many symptoms with the flu, a common cold, or a regular upper respiratory infection. According to the CDC, current COVID-19 symptoms include:
- Fever or chills
- Cough
- Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- New loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
This coronavirus, however, can develop severe complications including:
- Fever of over 100.4F
- Pneumonia
- Sepsis
- Death
There is no conclusive research to indicate how long it takes for symptoms to appear. It is generally accepted that they begin two to fourteen days after infection. Other sources suggest that some people who are infected may never display symptoms but remain contagious.
If you have symptoms of COVID-19 or are asymptomatic but have been exposed to a person with COVID-19, please call the office at 215-964-9250 before coming to our center!
Is there a vaccine for COVID-19?
The FDA has approved several COVID-19 vaccines. They are not available at our location at this time as the first doses have been prioritized for healthcare workers and other high-risk groups. When they become available, we will announce it on our home page and this page.
How does someone become infected from COVID-19?
Person to person transmission has been confirmed. It is believed that the virus travels on droplets that exit someone’s mouth when they cough. For this reason, face masks are highly recommended to be worn while outside. If you are infected but not showing symptoms, a mask will help contain any droplets.
How can I prevent an infection from COVID-19?
The guidelines for preventing the flu can be used to protect you from the COVID-19. These guidelines are:
- Wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds
- Avoid touching surfaces and then your face
- Avoid close contact with anyone who is sick
- Cover your nose and mouth if you feel sick
- Where a surgical mask or a face mask while traveling in public.
Does a COVID-19 antibody test (also known as serology) tell me that I am currently suffering from COVID-19?
This test is not designed to be a diagnostic test to determine if you are infected with COVID-19. If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, you should not receive an antibody test. Serology testing is meant for patients who displayed signs consistent with COVID-19 but were never diagnosed with it and recovered, or for someone diagnosed with COVID-19 and has recovered. This test helps when someone believes they may have had a COVID-19 infection in the past and needs confirmation. Bottom line, a serology test is for people who are currently healthy or have recovered from their infection.
If my serology results say I have COVID-19 antibodies, does that mean I am immune?
This test is not intended to determine if you are immune from COVID-19 or to diagnose that you are infected. There have been documented cases where someone who has had COVID-19 was re-infected later. If COVID-19 mutates, like the flu virus or the common cold, you can get sick again even if you test positive for antibodies.
What does a positive/negative antibody result mean?
A positive result from a serology test indicates a patient has likely been exposed to COVID-19, causing their immune system to produce a response. A negative result indicates that a patient has not developed antibodies at the time of testing. A negative result does not mean they have not been exposed in the past or mean they are currently not infected. If a patient has a condition or is taking medication to suppress their immune response, it could prevent antibodies from being produced. Confirmation of a COVID-19 infection must be made only after a combination of tests and a clinical evaluation.
Is the coronavirus related to SARS or MERS? Why is it called COVID-19?
Other coronaviruses can affect humans. Two recent outbreaks of coronaviruses include SARS (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome) and MERS (Middle East Respiratory Syndrome.) A coronavirus caused both of these outbreaks. SARS is thought to be more closely related to COVID-19 than it is to MERS. SARS also first originated in Asia, while MERS was first seen in Saudi Arabia.
2019-nCov was originally assigned to this virus due to changes in how new infections are named. “2019" represented the year it was first detected, and “nCov" stood for “Novel Coronavirus." “Novel" is used because it looks like no other virus ever seen before. World Health Organization officials changed the way infections are named to avoid misinformation or fear. They no longer name things like Lyme Disease, named after a town, or Legionnaires Disease, named after the convention, when it first infected people. The name COVID-19 now identifies this coronavirus. This name denotes the year it was first detected (2019) and its status as a new coronavirus. Another name some scientists use to describe this virus is SARS-CoV-2 or “severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.
For more information, please visit:
The CDC’s page dedicated to this outbreak.
The Pennsylvania Department of Health’s page dedicated to this outbreak
