The year 2020 will forever remain etched in our memory as the year that our lives came to a standstill – the year that a pandemic threatened to change the course of our lives forever. With stringent measures being enforced by the governments of countries across the world and with every cough or flu causing a panic, our need to rule out any chances of COVID hitting us is understandably very high.
With seasonal changes bringing in common colds, coughs, and flu and other infections of a similar nature, the urge to get ourselves tested for possible COVID may make us rush to a hospital or an emergency room. However, with hospitals and ERs being overwhelmed with COVID cases, urgent care centers all over the United States are also providing COVID testing. This ranges from providing assistance over calls or video consultations to understand the symptoms of the virus, to testing in a sanitized environment and to facilitating post-testing assistance for treatment options.
First and foremost, a clear understanding of the symptoms of COVID in comparison to common colds and flu will help us in seeking timely assistance.
Checking for Symptoms
The easiest way to look up the list of symptoms would be to check the website of an urgent care center of your choice or call for more specific information.
In case you have some of the following symptoms, your healthcare provider will schedule a telemedicine consultation to help you with the next course of action:
- Dry cough
- Shortness of breath
- Sore throat
- Sudden loss of taste or smell
- Chills
- Fever
- Muscle pain
- Headache
With many COVID positive patients now proving to be asymptomatic though, a consultation with the medical care provider at the UC will help determine two crucial factors in this scenario:
Did you travel anywhere in the last two weeks?
Do you suspect an exposure to a COVID positive patient in the same timeframe?
At Integra Urgent Care, we advise immediate testing if you are exhibiting any of the above symptoms or if you have had a recent travel or an exposure to a COVID patient.
Scheduling A Test
A consultation with a medical care provider at the urgent care center will give you an understanding of the COVID test available.
If it is suspected that you were exposed to the virus over two weeks ago, an immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibody test is advised, as it detects antibodies in the bloodstream, indicating that you have had the virus in the past two weeks.
If a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test has been advised to check for an active infection, please note that the samples are sent to an external lab and results are usually expected back in 5 to 7 days. Please note that nasal swabs and nasal pharyngeal swabs are used in our centers in case of PCR test.
Start by visiting www.integrauc.com/locations to check for the list of centers facilitating COVID testing and schedule an appointment.
Treatment Options
If the test results come back as a negative, you could contact your primary care physician to rule out other possible infections.
In case the results are positive, yet the symptoms exhibited are mild or moderate, Integra Care Clinic will walk you through the CDC norms for home isolation. If we suspect possible complications due to pre-existing comorbidities, or for cases requiring intensive treatment, further treatment options are explained along with a list of accessible hospitals.
To ensure that all safety protocols for staff and patients are adhered to at our urgent care clinics, patients are first encouraged to start with a telemedicine visit. You can schedule a telemedicine visit at https://integrauc.video-visits.com/
If you are symptomatic, your test will be conducted at our clinic. Please ensure that you wear a mask at all times and maintain social distancing.
For further information, online check-in, online bill pay or to set up a telemedicine visit, please visit www.integrauc.com or call the numbers listed on the website.
Integra Urgent Care offers three urgent care clinics in the DFW area to serve you and your family’s health care needs.
- Irving/Las Colinas – 7447 N MacArthur Blvd, Ste 190 Irving, TX 75063 # 972.861.5200
- Grand Prairie – 3950 S. Carrier Pkwy, Ste 110 Grand Prairie, TX 75052 # 469.340.1710
- Weatherford – (New Location) 821 E. Interstate 20 Weatherford, TX 76086 # 817.596.4313