Courtesy Photo / City of San Antonio
A public health worker prepares to test a person for COVID-19 at a drive-through testing site in San Antonio last year.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency's new testing centers will be in Bexar, Cameron, Dallas, Harris, Hidalgo and Tarrant Counties, all of which have experienced rising case numbers and long waits at testing sites.
The federal aid comes as the number of new confirmed COVID-19 cases in the state hit 44,431 on Tuesday, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services. Monday's tally of 51,481 cases was the highest number of infections reported on a single day in the Lone Star State since the start of the pandemic.
As of Tuesday, a total of 7,460 patients are being treated for COVID-19 in Texas hospitals — a number not experienced since the late-summer onset of the delta variant surge.
While San Antonio testing sites are experiencing long lines and delayed results, health officials say people with symptoms should brave the wait so they can know whether to self-isolate and avoid further spreading the virus.
If you need a test, here are the San Antonio-area options:
- The city of San Antonio's COVID-19 webpage lists all no-cost community testing locations. Most require an appointment, and results can take a few days, especially with labs overwhelmed.
- However, same-day PCR tests are available at the Curative American Legion site, 3518 Fredericksburg Road, and the Pittman-Sullivan site, 659 S. New Braunfels Ave. These are considered the "gold standard" for tests, and also include an email or text of the results once they become available. Just be prepared for longer wait times due to demand, according to Metro Health.
- Tests at clinics and urgent care centers — available for a fee — are also listed at the city website (just scroll down a bit). Many accept walk-ins, though costs vary. Be sure to check whether you're obtaining a PCR or rapid antigen test if that's a concern.
- A map of all San Antonio testing locations as well as a map of all free testing locations are also available online.
- For those who want to avoid lines and scheduling issues, home tests are available at drug and grocery stores and results are generally available in 10-15 minutes. Home tests are also sold online, although delivery times are lagging due to demand.
