CHARLOTTE, N.C. — The demand for COVID-19 tests is up as people rush to get results before the holidays.
A Public Health spokesperson for Mecklenburg County said results are currently averaging roughly three days, with most returning within 48 to 72 hours. However, this is expected to increase this week due to surges in demand locally, regionally, and across the country ahead of the holidays.
Carolina Pharmacy Group started offering rapid and PCR COVID-19 tests around Thanksgiving. Its location at the Arboretum Shopping Center has been averaging 300 to 400 people per day, with other locations seeing close to 100 people per day.
“We're getting Atrium, Novant, a lot of the other practices, independent doctors are sending us patients to test people that they're not able to test, the overflow basically,” said Chirag Patel, owner of Carolina Pharmacy Group. “It’s really fast for people to get in here and schedule and come, so it really makes it convenient.”
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The pharmacy currently has testing at its locations in Cotswold, Rock Hill, Lancaster, and the Arboretum Shopping Center. Patel said there are plans to add testing locations in South End, Uptown, and Huntersville in the next week as demand increases.
Patel said they’re also testing people without symptoms who may want reassurance before seeing loved ones over the holidays.
"We don't want to pass this on to our loved ones, especially during the holidays and really ruin the holidays,” Patel said, “so we really need to make sure that we are safe before we are seeing other people."
Patel said the pharmacy’s rapid test costs $120 with results in about 10 minutes, and the PCR lab test is $160 with results in 48 to 72 hours. The pharmacy does not take insurance but will accept HSA or FSA cards.
Riya Defazio is one of the people who came to Carolina Pharmacy for a rapid COVID-19 test before Christmas.
"I'm going to see my grandparents tomorrow, and I just wanted to be cautious and just to make sure I'm negative and not positive,” she said.
She said it wasn’t easy to schedule a COVID-19 test and find one that would provide fast results.
"It was crazy. It took us forever to find it,” Defazio said. “My parents just found it a few days ago, but yeah, it's been packed everywhere."
Defazio said she received a negative result after waiting for about 10 minutes, giving her a little peace of mind.
"It was a relief,” she said. “I was very happy."
Local and state health officials have been urging people to get a COVID-19 test before seeing loved ones outside their household over the holidays.
“If you gather in person, keep it small and outside if you can,” said North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper in a news conference Tuesday. “Get a COVID-19 test before you go."
Dr. Meg Sullivan, Mecklenburg County Public Health Medical Director, said testing levels in the community are high heading into the holidays.
"We're definitely seeing a huge demand for testing, which has impacted our turnaround times a little bit,” Sullivan said. “They are getting a little longer, which obviously then brings its own challenges."
Mecklenburg County is working to ensure testing access continues to be available. Several no-cost testing sites will be operating throughout the holidays.
The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services lists sites here. Mecklenburg County sites that will be available over the holidays are listed here.
Even with a negative test result, health officials are still urging people to be cautious if they’re around people outside their household this holiday season.
"A negative test is not a free pass,” said Dr. Mandy Cohen, secretary of the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services. “You still need to be wearing a mask all the time."