If you get tested for COVID-19, here’s how long you might wait for results in Tarrant
A Fort Worth man said he is on day six of waiting for his COVID-19 test results to come back, and he’s frustrated with the hold-up.
Chris, who asked that only his first name be used to protect his privacy, was tested for coronavirus at WellMed clinic in Fort Worth on Wednesday. Doctors told him the test should be back within two to four days.
But by Friday, he still had not heard back.
“They took the testing very seriously, it was run seamlessly, and then just to go home and not hear anything was a little worrying,” Chris said.
Chris called the clinic Friday, and staff told him his results could take anywhere from five to 10 days, he said.
“I was just shocked,” Chris said. “I know that the medical community is really crushing it right now, really working hard, but you’re seeing stories about discrepancies about big labs taking forever and others turning it over in a day.”
On Tuesday, he called again to check on his test. He said the clinic told him tests were backed up, and they had no idea when his test could come back.
An administrator at WellMed said she is not allowed to comment on coronavirus testing and referred the Star-Telegram to their corporate office.
WellMed, like many clinics, does not have have the ability to test for COVID-19 at their own labs, and they instead partner with a private lab to have samples tested for the virus. WellMed uses the company LabCorp and sends patients’ samples to the closest lab, which is in North Carolina, on the same day the patient is tested.
LabCorp said in a statement that they cannot comment on individual tests or confirm where tests are being sent from.
“However, I can tell you that our typical turn-around time has been 3-4 days from the pickup of the specimen to release of the test result,” a spokesman said via email.
Chris said while he’s waiting for his test results, he has been quarantined in his house. His girlfriend, parents, sister and brother-in-law have also had to quarantine while he waits for his test results.
He said he has not had coronavirus symptoms — coughing, shortness of breath and fever — for three days and might have already been able to go back to work if he had his test results sooner.
“I don’t know if I have it or not,” he said. “That’s one of the frustrating things.”
Chris said he has not traveled out of the country in the last few months and typically only goes to work, the gym and the grocery store.
Different turnarounds for testing
Quest Diagnostics is another lab used by many local doctors — the company has a testing site in Lewisville. According to their website, Quest Diagnostics’ testing turnaround is about four to five days from the time of specimen pickup. However, that time can vary based on demand and location.
“In some cases, results may not be provided for about a week from specimen pickup; in others, results may be returned within a day or two,” the company says on its website.
It is not up to patients where their test is sent; doctors and medical clinics determine what lab they use.
While many doctor’s office and clinics use private labs to test for coronavirus, some local labs are able to use CDC-issued tests on-site.
Tarrant County Public Health’s lab has the ability to test for novel coronavirus within a few hours to a day of receiving a specimen, said Tarrant County Public Health senior public information officer Richard Hill.
Patients are not tested on-site and instead samples are sent to the lab by doctors offices.
The Tarrant County lab, technically named the North Texas Regional Laboratory, serves 33 counties in North Texas. The lab does not have the ability to do a large amount of testing in Tarrant County, Hill said.
Currently, private labs run the majority of tests in Tarrant County.
“Our lab is not large, we don’t do as much as testing,” Hill said. “The bulk is by private labs. They are doing more of the testing right now and that will continue.”
Hill said the department is not releasing data on how many tests they are able to run each day, and instead they track by confirmed cases in the county. On March 6, the department said in a press release they expected to be able to process 50 to 100 tests per day.
On Sunday, Dallas County opened its second drive-thru testing sites at Ellis Davis Fieldhouse, at 9191 South Polk Street. Those who have symptoms can get tested there or at the American Airlines Center.
Those test results are expected to come back within three days, according to the county.
Texas has been behind many other states when it comes to testing for COVID-19, according to estimates based on tests conducted in private and public health labs.
In the early days of the outbreak, only the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention were allowed to produce testing kits.
In February, there was a manufacturing problem with testing kits that the CDC was sending to state labs, leading to confusion and shortages.
But many Tarrant County resident have told the Star-Telegram they have been unable to get approved for testing, even when they had symptoms and had recently traveled abroad.
For people who think they may have the virus, the CDC recommends contacting your primary care doctor, if you have one. The doctor will be able to tell you where and whether you need a test. Typically, you are eligible only if you have symptoms such as fever, cough or trouble breathing.
If you do have symptoms, you should stay home and away from others, according to the CDC.
