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CORONAVIRUS

COVID-19

Rapid COVID-19 testing in Spokane will give front-line workers, patients with referrals results in minutes

A health worker displays on March 17 the packaged nasopharyngeal swab used on patients at a drive-through COVID-19 testing station for University of Washington Medicine patients in Seattle. Rapid testing set to begin in Spokane will give results in about 5 minutes. (Elaine Thompson / AP)
By Arielle Dreher arielled@spokesman.com(509) 459-5467

Rapid testing for COVID-19 will be available through Providence Express Care starting Friday.

Providence announced that the pilot program will target health care workers, first responders and high-risk patients who can access rapid testing by referral and appointment only.

The rapid testing will deliver a positive result in as little as five minutes and a negative result in about 13 minutes.

To access rapid testing, a person must have a virtual visit with a Providence ExpressCare provider first. After screening a person based on federal and state COVID-19 symptomatic guidelines, a provider will determine whether to schedule the patient for a rapid test.

Drive-up rapid testing will be located at the Providence ExpressCare clinic on North Indian Trail Road in Spokane, and patients will be directed to go to this clinic at their scheduled appointment time.

The rapid testing does not replace the drive-up screening at the Spokane County fairgrounds, where anybody experiencing symptoms can get screened and potentially tested if their symptoms meet certain criteria.

Symptoms of COVID-19 include fever, cough and shortness of breath.

Arielle Dreher's reporting for The Spokesman-Review is primarily funded by the Smith-Barbieri Progressive Fund, with additional support from Report for America and members of the Spokane community. These stories can be republished by other organizations for free under a Creative Commons license. For more information on this, please contact our newspaper’s managing editor.