SAN ANTONIO – SAQ: What is San Antonio’s testing capacity?
Doctor Ruth Berggren with UT Health said the federal government is paying for 3,500 tests per week through April 10 which is allowing for patients to be tested for free at Freeman Coliseum but only if they have an appointment. Click here to find out how to book an appointment.
“In the meantime, a lot of private labs have come on board and there are a number of places where you can get tested now including at UT Health and Texas Med Clinic,” Berggren said.
According to Berggren, UT Health is able to get an additional 130 tests done per day.
SAQ: What is the testing turnaround time?
The turnaround time is slow in most cases, according to Dr. Berggren. Patients are told it takes between four and five days to get results, but it could be even longer.
RELATED: COVID-19 test results can take days. What do you do in the meantime?
Meanwhile at UT Health, Berggren said, rapid testing is available that can yield results in 24 hours, but it’s reserved for some of the sickest people coming into the hospital, and for healthcare workers.
“If we don’t know that [healthcare worker’s] fever are due to COVID, then they’re out for a long time and we start to deplete our healthcare workforce,” Berggren explained. “If we can test them and find out that they’re negative then we can get them back to work and on duty much more quickly.”
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