How much does COVID testing cost in South Padre Island?

In many cases, COVID testing can be free. Many state and local health departments continue to offer free testing to community residents as part of their response to the pandemic. In other cases, commercially insured patients, or those on Medicare or Medicaid, may receive testing at no out of pocket cost, or with a nominal office visit copay. For cash paying patients, or those that need rapid COVID testing which will deliver results in under an hour, COVID tests can range from $50 to $150 each. It is best to call your healthcare provider prior to getting tested to better understand the cost of the specific test you require.

Where can I get free COVID testing in South Padre Island?

COVID testing is available for free under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which includes testing for those without health insurance. Check with your South Padre Island-area health department as they are generally a good source for free COVID tests, or can at least point you in the right direction. Additionally, you can ask your primary care provider to recommend a free COVID test site.

Where can I get COVID testing in South Padre Island?

COVID testing is available at many outlets near South Padre Island including urgent care centers, retail clinics, primary care offices, health departments, and more. Different venues will have different types of tests available, many at different price points. Some testing sites are allowing walk-in patients, however, many are still requiring some degree of advance booking to control patient volume.

Solv / COVID-19 Testing / Texas / COVID-19 PCR Testing /

COVID testing & Rapid testing near me in South Padre Island, TX

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R Joe Ybarra MD Private Practice, SPI Urgent Care

R Joe Ybarra MD Private Practice

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3401 Padre Blvd, South Padre Island, TX 785973401 Padre Blvd

4.92(1.4k reviews)

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Disappointed. Had an X-ray mid afternoon. Told results be an hour. Never got results

Self-pay pricing

Results in 1-3 days

$150

Results in < 1 hour

Valley Med Urgent Care

800 E Alton Gloor Blvd, Brownsville, TX 78526800 E Alton Gloor Blvd

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Time to results unknown

Brownsville Sports Park

Open until 5:00 pm

Mon 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Tue 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Wed 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Thu 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
Fri 8:00 am - 5:00 pm
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1000 Sports Park Blvd, Olmito, TX 785751000 Sports Park Blvd

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Advanced Urgent Care, Brownsville

Advanced Urgent Care

1460 North Expy, Brownsville, TX 785211460 North Expy

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Time to results unknown

UT Health RGV Brownsville

Open until 4:30 pm

Mon 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
Tue 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
Wed 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
Thu 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
Fri 9:00 am - 4:30 pm
SatClosed
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780 Ringgold Rd, Brownsville, TX 78521780 Ringgold Rd

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Harlingen VA Clinic-Treasure Hills

Open until 4:30 pm

Mon 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Tue 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Wed 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Thu 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Fri 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
SatClosed
SunClosed

2106 Treasure Hills Blvd, Harlingen, TX 785502106 Treasure Hills Blvd

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Harlingen VA Clinic

Open until 4:30 pm

Mon 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Tue 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Wed 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Thu 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
Fri 8:00 am - 4:30 pm
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2601 Veterans Dr, Harlingen, TX 785502601 Veterans Dr

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Took my son in for red, sore throat and swollen glands. Told them I didn’t want a covid test because I didn’t want to waste rest if it wasn’t necessary. I did want them to tear him for other things and the Dr. took it as I didn’t want any tests done! Not happy that he was willing to send us on our way without teatimg and give him a shot of rosephen. I was adamant about testing for mono and he was positive! Not sure why Dr would tell me that they are just a band aid stop not much they can do for us. I also asked for a referral which he was going to give us but being that he was finally tested and positive for mono we didn’t need the referral. Our appointment was for 11:30 am and didn’t see Dr until 12:50 pm. Not happy at all about this visit! He should have been tested the last time we were in on January 4, ***

- Verified patient on 2/3

This was a car side Covid test (precautionary after international travel). Lenny was excellent and had great ‘car side’ manner. Thank you! Awaiting results now

- Verified patient on 8/12

My NP was great as always. Our family always gets taken care of at this facility, however this time...Rita Cortez made it weird! She was so awkwardly rude to me on top of doing weird treatment. I received a flu/Covid test, for both test, she stuck the swab down both nostril EACH test. NP said I was getting a steroid shot, I have always had a shot in hip/top of cheek, no problem, she wanted to put the shot in my side hip BONE area! No thank you! At that point I said I was a little uncomfortable doing that, she said that is how everyone there is trained to do it, I told her I have had a shot here before and this has never happened and she instantly walked out. The whole experience was just off. My husband asked the kind lady who took her place if Rita was having a bad day (because we all go through things) but apparently she wasn’t, this is her nature. Sorry Rita Cortez, but you are in the wrong career field if this is how you treat all of your patients on a daily basis!

- Verified patient on 1/29

This is the friendliest staff ever. For a covid test I recommend to make an appointment with Dr. Ybarra's office in Harlingen or SPI. They take care of you in a fast efficient manner. Love him and his staff!

- Verified patient on 1/15

Zach is a cool kid with awesome hair. Treated me well, even though my nostrils still hurt. Ernie is a nice man with a gentle touch. If I ever have to get tested for COVID again I would hope that this place is open. To the man who did my 1st covid test over a year and a half ago...may the bacteria riddled tips of a horned animal lacerate your innards! Great Job Ernie and Zach!

- Verified patient on 10/18

They were right on time for my Covid test at my car. I did not go inside or see the Doctor.

- Verified patient on 7/15

Lenny was intelligent, knowledgeable and precise with any questions or concerns I had. And this was only for a covid test. Definitely would go back for any medical needs.

- Verified patient on 2/5

Went for Covid test, efficient and quick. Outstanding service.

- Verified patient on 7/9

First of all, it is very helpful and really streamlines the process to be able to do all paperwork, history, and download insurance card the day before the appointment online. That probably cuts out a good 20 mins or more of time.Then because of covid, they are seeing patients in our vehicles in a designated area in the back of the parking lot. It’s an organized, quick process. The nurse practitioner Beth came out on time, was very friendly, thorough & informative. The process only took about 15 mins including assessment and nasal swab for covid test. And she called me within 20-25 mins later with the result. Yes I was pleased and impressed. I will go back there if urgent care needed again. And yes I would absolutely recommend this clinic to anyone. Booked my appointment online on the urgent care website. They did not charge me at all. Not even the urgent care co-pay of $10. I’m guessing they will bill me after they file on my insurance.

- Verified patient on 9/2

I did not see the Dr. had a drive up Covid test. The young man that did the test, was very good!! Very informative and caring. Wait time was very good.

- Verified patient on 2/9

The only challenge I have is that my wife went in for Flu symptoms… she didn’t want to take COVID test because it seems everyone tests positive for CID if they have symptoms , but I talked her into it. She was put on a HYDOCHLORIDE IV - Doctor comes back in 15 mins and says that she has COVID ( The China virus). - Then 20 mins later the AP comes and says “ we’ll you were right you don’t have COVID” - What ??? We said the doc said 20 mins ago she tested positive. - He said, Oh well she a Doctor… I guess she knows better ! - This is EXACTLY why 50% of common sense Americans believe it’s a big scam to control the people and make Fauci & the drug companies rich. - Thanks for revealing the lie once again. - Oh yeah there has not been 1 flu patient in your facility in over a year.

- Verified patient on 8/11

Receptionist (Gracieanna)loudly asked for all waiting room to hear if I was using Medicare? I have been here numerous times using private insurance and nothing provides a reason for such a question. I arrived 30 minutes early. While I was waiting, Three white women show up without appointments, ask questions, Complete the Solv questionnaire at the desk and all get seen before me. When I asked Gracieanna about my appointment, then she stated, oh you’re next. There was no one else left in the waiting room. Once seen the male nurse didn’t weigh me but asked me to tell him my weight and began a discourse about me taking medication for high blood pressure and having been referred by a doctor. When I explained to him, I had never visited for anything other than a Covid test, he was dismissive and provided me with none of my vitals. Temp, blood Pressure and O2. The doctor did provide my vitals after I asked and her bedside manner was the standard of professionalism and care that I have encountered in the past. Without my prior experiences, I would never return; however, I hope this staff team I encountered was an anomaly.

- Verified patient on 9/5

This is my second visit to PrimaCare for Covid testing. The first visit was wonderful and it was a smooth process. The second visit was great up to the point of speaking with the doctor. Her name is Shana Fakkel. I wanted to retest to make sure I am negative and be able to leave home isolation from being almost two weeks in a room, have peace of mind to be close to my parents which both are 65+ years of age, I live with them and not live with the uncomfortable feeling that I can be COVID-19 positive and affect the people around me. In short, Ms. Fakkel, which I will not even want to call her by Dr. had the audacity of questioning my retesting decision by asking why I would want to make my health insurance pay for another test to have peace of mind. I was shocked! First of all, that is none of her damn business and I have the right to test whenever I feel like it and charge my insurance whenever I feel like it if I PAY FOR IT! Second, she should do her job more professionally and not use a criticizing tone to her patients. I was NOT happy! On a positive note, I still got my test and the rest of the staff is great, so I still recommend this clinic, but it’s sad that one person can ruin it for everyone. I hope to not see her again in the future if I decide to return to PrimaCare.

- Verified patient on 1/6

After being ill over the weekend I wanted to be tested for Covid because I keep my 3 year old great grandson and I also have a sister in her 80's with mucular degeneration that I check on almost daily. I needed the peace of mind that a negative test would provide. I wasn't sure if my insurance would pay for the rapid test but I was willing to pay if it didn't. It does cover the rapid test. I went to Next Care for the Covid test. They treated me with the upmost respect, even when I started coughing like crazy due to the mask and allergies. Everyone was very pleasant, friendly and informative. I even left, in less than an hour, with a printout of my symptoms my vitals and my diagnoses. Something my own personal physician does not provide. All in all, a very pleasant and rewarding experience. I will recommend them to anyone.

- Verified patient on 1/25

The provider I believe her name was Dr. Clem was quick to get me out the door and acted as if I was not imporatant when I asked for her to look at my son and why was there swelling under his tongue and that I was concerned if there was congestion in his lungs she recommended covid testing I asked her could it be flu since my son had been around my grandbaby who was diagnosed with flu 2 days prior to my visit, her response was it was probably a false positive but she did not explain why she felt it was negative, I did ask for a flu test even thou she was reluctant to do one, then the nurse returned shortly afterwards and stated the results of the covid were negative as well as his flu test but I had to ask again why was there swelling under my son's tongue since both test were negative, the provider finally had told me it was his congestion. I have been here several times in the past and had not had to expierence a bad bed side manner from a provider I am hoping she was just not feeling well or not aware of this and will improve on my next visit.

- Verified patient on 1/26

It was overall request. However, I don’t think it was medically necessary to re-see my son for another telemedicine when I requested for my son to have a pcr covid test when he was just seen for the same exact reason the day before. I called the same day of his rapid test to also have a pcr. But because they no longer were doing the covid test the staff told me to come in the next day. When I came back for the pcr test, the staff told me I need to do another telemedicine. I explained the scenario but it seems that the logic was not heard and was told that my son still need to be seen telemedicine. I decided to cancel all together and scheduled my son for the pcr test at CVS. I wished that the staff had checked with the doctor first to confirm if it’s medically necessary to see my patient again for the same reason and to only repeat a test. Sometimes, a process may have some exception. Otherwise, I like the physicians and the convenience, except this time.

- Verified patient on 8/1

We had a COVID test with the nose swab that they stick way up your nose. I’ve had this once before. This was by far much, much better. Lenny did a spectacular job! It definitely wasn’t fun, but not nearly as bad as the first time.

- Verified patient on 2/4

Had a COVID test. Lenny was great!

- Verified patient on 12/17

I had a wonderful hassle-free experience with my rapid covid test. Totally recommended. Staff is friendly and they adhered to all safety protocols.

- Verified patient on 11/20

I needed a COVID test. I tried to register on the website and it set up a video appointment. In a few minutes, someone from the staff called to ask me some follow-up questions. It turned out that I didn’t need the video appointment at all. It would be nice if the website was fixed so that the video conference wouldn’t be set up. Apparently it’s never needed. When I drove up, I tried to call the number that was on the window, the staff member accidentally hung up on me, and I could not reach anyone when I tried to call back. Someone from the staff came out and spoke with me. She was very nice. Then, I got my test with no problems. The staff is great, they just need to fix some hiccups with the website process and handling calls (I got disconnected more than once). Also, the hold music is terrible! But I got what I needed, and it was with minimal issues. I would definitely go back.

- Verified patient on 7/3

South Padre Island COVID Testing & Rapid Testing

Types of COVID Tests

There are two types of coronavirus tests (COVID-19 tests) available, those that can test for a current infection (viral test) and those that can test for a past infection (antibody test).

Viral COVID testing can be done in a few different ways, the most common being nose swabs, but saliva tests are becoming more popular. Some tests are processed out on-site and can provide results in as little as 30 minutes. These are called rapid COVID tests. The majority of tests, on the other hand, are collected at the clinic on-site and then submitted to off-site labs for processing. Results can take up to 2-3 days to arrive.

Antibody testing looks for a past infection and may not reveal if you have an active COVID-19 infection because antibodies can take up to three weeks to form in your body. The presence of COVID antibodies may help to prevent you from becoming infected with the same virus again; but, because the clinical understanding of COVID-19 is still developing, it's unclear how long that protection will continue.

Who should get tested for current infection

The CDC currently defines four instances where COVID testing is recommended:

If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 including fever or chills, cough, shortness of breath or difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, new loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion or runny nose, nausea or vomiting, or diarrhea.
If you have been in close contact with someone with confirmed COVID-19. Close contact is defined as within 6 feet for a total of 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period. If you have been vaccinated, or tested positive in the past 3 months and not experiencing symptoms, you do not need to be tested.
If you are unvaccinated and participated in high-risk activities where distancing is not an option. This could include travel, large social or mass gatherings, crowded indoor settings, etc.
If you have been referred to get a COVID test by your healthcare provider or local health department.

How is testing done for COVID-19?

Most COVID tests are collected by a nasal swab. A member of the medical team puts a swab inside your nose for a few seconds on each side to collect the sample. After that, the samples are packaged according to CDC guidelines and tested on-site or transported to a facility for testing. The lab will test samples for the presence of the coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2), which causes COVID infection and either your care provider or the lab will notify you with the results as soon as they are available.

PCR vs Antigen Testing

Viral COVID tests are available as molecular and antigen tests. The molecular test, also known as a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test, usually delivers results within a few days since most of these tests are sent to offsite labs for analysis. The average turnaround time for PCR test results is 48 hours, but in some instances may be significantly longer due to backlogs related to insufficient lab volume and capacity. Antigen tests are also known as rapid tests and have an average turnaround time of between 15 to 30 minutes.

Both PCR and rapid COVID tests can be used to test people exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, those who were close contacts to COVID-19, and those without COVID-19 symptoms who live or work in a high-risk setting (such as a nursing facility); or those individuals who are identified as part of outbreak detection and response. The rapid COVID test is also recommended for the screening of residents or healthcare workers at skilled nursing facilities along with a PCR confirmation, and for repeat screening for the early detection and prevention of outbreaks in congregate settings (such as schools, workplaces, and prisons).

COVID testing is available for free under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which includes testing for those without health insurance. To reduce the risk of facing extra costs related to COVID testing, ask your primary care doctor to recommend a free COVID test site, and confirm there are no charges or fees for the test that are not covered by your insurance plan. Additionally, avoid getting a COVID test at a hospital or free-standing emergency room, as these facilities may charge fees for COVID testing and related services.

COVID-19 Testing FAQs

How much does COVID testing cost in South Padre Island?
In many cases, COVID testing can be free. Many state and local health departments continue to offer free testing to community residents as part of their response to the pandemic. In other cases, commercially insured patients, or those on Medicare or Medicaid, may receive testing at no out of pocket cost, or with a nominal office visit copay. For cash paying patients, or those that need rapid COVID testing which will deliver results in under an hour, COVID tests can range from $50 to $150 each. It is best to call your healthcare provider prior to getting tested to better understand the cost of the specific test you require.
Where can I get free COVID testing in South Padre Island?
COVID testing is available for free under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which includes testing for those without health insurance. Check with your South Padre Island-area health department as they are generally a good source for free COVID tests, or can at least point you in the right direction. Additionally, you can ask your primary care provider to recommend a free COVID test site.
Where can I get COVID testing in South Padre Island?
COVID testing is available at many outlets near South Padre Island including urgent care centers, retail clinics, primary care offices, health departments, and more. Different venues will have different types of tests available, many at different price points. Some testing sites are allowing walk-in patients, however, many are still requiring some degree of advance booking to control patient volume.
Where can I get a rapid COVID test in South Padre Island?

Rapid testing—both PCR (molecular) and antigen tests—is offered through many South Padre Island-area urgent care centers and physician offices, usually at an additional cost ranging from $50 up to $150 per test. Usually this will allow you to get results back in under an hour, and require advanced booking through the provider. However, if you can wait 24 hours for your results, many labs are turning around send-out lab tests in that time frame, which could save you some money.
How to make an appointment for COVID testing in South Padre Island?
Same-day and next day appointments for COVID testing in South Padre Island are bookable directly through Solv. Simply browse the list of healthcare providers conducting COVID tests above, find one with a “Book Online” button, and book a time that aligns with your schedule stating “COVID-19 Test” as your reason for visit.
Can I get tested for antibodies if I am sick with COVID-19 South Padre Island?

An antibody test for COVID-19 might inform you if you previously had a coronavirus infection. Because it can take between 1–3 weeks after an infection for your body to develop these antibodies, an antibody test during an active infection would not be successful. To see if you are currently infected, you need a viral test.
Do I need a COVID test if I have been vaccinated?
Even if you have been fully vaccinated, if you have been exposed to someone who has COVID-19, experts believe that you should be tested yourself, particularly if you are experiencing cold and flu symptoms commonly aligned with the coronavirus.
How long does COVID testing take?
Getting a COVID test is quick. Most tests are done with a nasal swab, which takes less than a minute to swab both nostrils. Depending on where you get your COVID test, this means you could be in and out of the testing site in as little as 10-15 minutes. During busy times—particularly around holidays—testing sites may be busier than usual and wait times may be longer.
How long does it take to get COVID test results in South Padre Island?

Most labs are returning send-out molecular (PCR) COVID test results within 24-48 hours of the test. Some sites take longer, so call and ask if the reason for the test is proof for travel. Rapid COVID tests are processed on-site and are able to deliver results in under an hour, sometimes in as little as 15 min.
Do COVID tests detect the Delta variant and Omicron variant?
Regular COVID tests are able to detect both the Delta variant and Omicron variant in that they can determine whether or not you have the coronavirus. However, they can't tell which variation is involved. That would necessitate genomic sequencing, which is a different process from regular virus testing that not all labs can undertake. Sequencing is uncommon and can cost up to $100 per test. Since the treatment is the same for any variant, it is not clinically useful to an individual patient to know whether the infection was caused by a variant or not.