Testing

1. Testing.gtu Ge
2. Testing Protocol
3. Testing Positive For Coronavirus

Looking for COVID-19 testing?

If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 or have been exposed to the virus, you should be tested. Getting a test is the best way to protect your family, friends, and loved ones. Below are three ways to go about getting a COVID-19 test.

There are no-cost community testing events across the state. Check the NO-COST Community Testing Event Finder to see if there is an event near you.

2. Test Site Finder

Software testing is an investigation conducted to provide stakeholders with information about the quality of the software product or service under test. Software testing can also provide an objective, independent view of the software to allow the business to appreciate and understand the risks of software implementation.

Local health departments, pharmacies, urgent care and other locations also provide testing. There may be a fee. Use the Test Site Finder to find locations near you.

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2. Learn more about the California Standardized Testing and Reporting (STAR) program and view real questions released from actual tests. Return to contents.

Your regular health care provider may also have testing available. Contact your provider for details.

More Information about Testing

If you are asked to isolate or quarantine and you need to stay home from work because of COVID-19, you may be eligible for support.

Determine what you should do while you are waiting for your test results, and what to do after your test results are available.

COVID-19 Symptoms include:

• Fever
• Cough
• Shortness of breath
• Chills
• Repeated shaking with chills
• Muscle pain
• Headache
• Sore throat
• New loss of taste or smell
• Congestion or runny nose
• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea

Call 911 if you have a medicalemergency: Notify the operator that you have, or think you might have, COVID-19. Ifpossible, put on a cloth face covering before medical help arrives.

Getting Tested

There is no charge for testing at any of these COVID-19 public testing sites.
Important Update Regarding Health Insurance: To ensurethat Hillsborough County is following federal guidance on COVID-19 coronavirustesting, health insurance providers are being engaged in the COVID-19 publictesting process. Bring your insurance card with you to the testing site as youmay be asked for this information. Individuals who do not have insurance willstill be tested for free.

Testing Locations Operated by Hillsborough County

An appointment is required at these sites and can be made online or over thephone. To schedule an appointment online, click the link under the locationname. To schedule an appointment over the phone, call (888) 513-6321. The callcenter is open Monday through Friday, from 8 AM to 5 PM. Note thatappointments cannot be made for same-day testing.

Testing Locations Operated or Supported by State of Florida

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Testing is done on a first-come, first-serve basis at these locations.Appointments are not scheduled in advance. Registration is conducted when youarrive on site.

Testing Protocol

• Have a photo ID with name and date of birth for all persons being tested (can be Florida driver's license, state-issued ID, or passport).
• If you make an appointment through the call center to visit one of the locations operated by Hillsborough County, bring the confirmation code provided by the call center. This can be a printed copy of the testing confirmation email received from the call center, a screen-shot of the confirmation number, or the code may be provided verbally. A printed code or screen-shot on the phone helps the process, but is not required.
• Individuals who have health insurance should bring their insurance cards with them in case this information is requested.

Prepare for your Arrival:

• Although pedestrians can be accommodated at some sites, it is best to arrive in a personal vehicle as the majority of the testing is conducted via drive-thru.
• Each person to be tested must be seated next to a working window.
• Limit vehicle passengers to those needing a test.
• You will be required to provide the following information:
  1. Full name
  2. Current address (where you are staying)
  3. Best contact information to reach you in case the result is positive

What to Expect:

• You will be greeted by a health care provider in personal protective gear who will give you instructions.
• A minimally-invasive nasopharyngeal swab test will be administered.
• Several factors may contribute to an inconclusive or Test Not Performed (TNP) result. Please refrain from eating or drinking for two hours prior to your appointment time. This includes chewing gum, drinking coffee or taking non-prescription oral medications. Drinking water is allowed. Following these guidelines may help mitigate inaccurate test results.
• Test results are not immediate. Depending on the type of test, it may take several days to receive the results. After taking the test, you will be given information on what to do while you await the results.

Testing sites are staffed by health care professionals in medical protectivegear who are trained to test for COVID-19 coronavirus. Directional signage andlaw enforcement will help residents through the testing site in an orderlyfashion.

Other Testing Options

If you feel that you may need more immediate attention, please contact yourprimary care physician.

Some other locations in Hillsborough County where residents can get a COVID-19 test are listed below. These options may require a doctor's note, insurance, or out-of-pocket costs.

• BayCare is repositioning resources in response to the novel coronavirus outbreak to help stem the spread of COVID-19. Information on BayCare testing
• Multiple CVS locations across the county can administer COVID-19 tests. Make an appointment at CVS
• MedExpress is offering testing at its Tampa location. Information on MedExpress testing
• Walgreens is offering COVID-19 testing at select locations, including several in Hillsborough. Information on Walgreens testing
• There are some companies offering home test kit options as discussed during a public meeting.

Testing Positive For Coronavirus

If You’re Sick

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says people who aremildly ill with COVID-19 are able to recover at home.

Here are some general guidelines to follow:

• Do not leave, except to get medical care
• Do not visit public areas
• Stay in touch with your doctor. Call before you get medical care. Be sure to get care if you feel worse or you think it is an emergency
• Avoid public transportation, ride-sharing, or taxis
• Separate yourself from other people in your home
• Avoid sharing personal household items
• Clean all 'high-touch' surfaces every day

For more detailed information and guidelines for what to do when you are sick,visit the CDC website.

Testing FAQs

1. Who can be tested at the public testing sites?

   Any Hillsborough County resident can be tested. You do not need to have COVID-19 symptoms.

2. Does it hurt?

   The test is uncomfortable. Some people have reported it feels like getting water up your nose. Most people report that it is uncomfortable, but not painful.

3. Can I get rapid testing at Hillsborough County’s testing sites?

   Rapid tests are being used at the Raymond James Stadium and Lee Davis Community Resource Center testing locations. PCR tests also are available at these locations upon request.

4. Why are you testing persons who aren’t sick or who don’t think they have been exposed to COVID-19?

   Research shows that many people who have the virus may be asymptomatic, that is, showing no symptoms. Asymptomatic persons can unknowingly spread the virus to others. Public health officials say expanded testing is crucial to making decisions about reopening the County and developing policies to protect vulnerable populations and avoid a second wave of cases. Having a better idea of how many people currently have the virus will give Hillsborough County emergency leaders more information to make these important decisions.

5. Is there a cost?

   The tests at the public testing sites are free. A doctor’s note or prescription is not required. Individuals who have health insurance should bring their insurance card with them. You will not be asked to pay a copay or deductible.

6. What is the difference between a rapid test and a “regular” (PCR) test?

   Both tests are used to diagnose whether an individual has COVID-19 at the time the test is taken. Also known as a molecular test, the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test detects genetic material of the virus. Processed by a lab, PCR test results can take up to 3 to 5 days. The rapid test is an antigen test that detects certain proteins in the virus. Specimens are processed on site and results are usually known in less than an hour. Depending on the situation, it may be recommended that you confirm the result of a rapid test by following up with a PCR test.

7. What does “point-in-time” testing mean?

   The free tests available at the County’s community testing sites are intended to detect whether an individual has the virus at the moment the sample was collected.

8. How old do you have to be to be tested?

   County testing locations have no age limitation, but minors must be accompanied by an authorized adult, such as a parent or guardian. For State testing locations, testing is limited to ages 5 and up.

9. When will the results be known?

   Rapid test results are known the same day. For PCR tests, it can take up to 3 to 5 days to receive results. In the meantime, people who were ill at the time they took the test should self-isolate until the diagnosis is known. All residents, including those who are asymptomatic, are reminded to wear face coverings while around other people in public.

10. What happens if I test positive?

    You will be contacted and provided instructions.

11. Can I get Antibody Testing at Hillsborough County’s testing sites?

    A COVID-19 antibody test, also known as a serology test, is a blood test that can detect if a person has antibodies to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Antibody testing is not currently offered at any public testing site in Hillsborough County.

12. If I was exposed to someone with the virus in the last 14 days, will a negative result on this test mean I don’t have COVID-19?

    No. It can take up to 14 days between when you are exposed to the virus and when you start to get sick. If you don’t have symptoms and receive a negative test result during this time, this does not mean that you were not exposed. If you were exposed to someone with COVID-19 it is important that you remain isolated from other people for 14 days from that exposure, regardless of a negative test result.

13. Why is insurance information being collected?

    Bringing insurance companies into the testing process will help the County continue to effectively manage its financial resources and meet federal guidance regarding reimbursement of costs. Per the federal Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act (CARES) and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), all insurance companies must pay for COVID-19 testing with no copay or deductible for tests that are medically necessary. People who do not have insurance will still be tested for free.

14. What else should I know?

    Bring a photo ID with name and date of birth for all persons being tested (can be Florida driver's license, state-issued ID, or passport). Although pedestrians can be accommodated at some sites, it is best to arrive in a personal vehicle as the majority of the testing is conducted via drive-thru. Limit vehicle passengers to those needing a test.