CHARLOTTE, N.C. — As COVID-19 cases decreased earlier this year, so did the number of COVID-19 testing sites. Many reduced staff or closed down altogether. But now with coronavirus cases once again surging, many are having a hard time finding a testing site with availability.
Some urgent care facilities, like BetterMed Urgent Care on South Blvd book up within minutes of opening availability each day at 5 a.m.
So where can you get a same-day COVID-19 test? Both StarMed and Carolina Pharmacy offer day-of availability; just be prepared to wait.
“Testing has gone through the roof again,” StarMed CEO, Mike Estramonte told WCNC.
Thursday, StarMed’s Tuckaseegee location in West Charlotte had a line that wrapped around the parking lot.
“We did more testing yesterday than we did a year ago,” said Estramonte.
Carolina Pharmacy says they’re also seeing an increase.
“I would say they have doubled,” said pharmacy manager, Kavel Bhathela.
But an increase in COVID-19 tests is not the only change, Bhathela says the pharmacy is seeing. He said over the summer people were being tested before travel or after travel, with little to no symptoms and few positive results.
Now, he says the majority of those coming in for tests have symptoms like a runny nose or headache.
“We’ve also seen positive cases pretty much every single day and they are trending up.”
To keep up with demand, he says Carolina Pharmacy increased staff. “So you can get same-day appointments and same-day results at all of our testing locations, all you have to do is visit carolinapharmacy.com to schedule an appointment,” he said.
StarMed also offering drive-up testing, with no appointment required.
Both StarMed and Carolina Pharmacy have multiple locations throughout Mecklenburg County.
Contact Ashley Daley at adaley@wcnc.com and follow her on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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