Need a COVID test before Thanksgiving? Here’s how, where to get one in Kansas City
Looking to get a COVID-19 test as a precaution heading into the Thanksgiving holiday? If you’re not experiencing symptoms, Kansas City health officials hope you consider holding off for now.
The reason: testing supply is still insufficient for the demand, said Frank Thompson, deputy director of the Kansas City Health Department.
“Because the ‘worried well’ place an undue burden on limited testing resources, we ask that people do a self-risk assessment to determine if they should get tested,” he said. “However, no one is turned away based on symptoms or reason for seeking a test.”
While some sites test only patients with COVID-19 symptoms and those directly exposed to a known case, community testing sites coordinated by the KC Health Department provide testing for both symptomatic and asymptomatic persons, Thompson said.
Across the Kansas City metro, skyrocketing COVID-19 cases are putting extra pressure on health departments and hospitals working to keep up with testing demand. And with the holidays approaching, more people are likely seeking a quick test before visiting family on Thanksgiving.
If you think you do need a COVID-10 test, where can you get one right away in the metro region? How long will it take to get results? And how much will it cost? Here’s what to know before leaving home:
In Kansas City and Jackson County
Because of the limited supply in tests, Thompson suggests people schedule their tests early, but timing is also important.
“If you’ve been exposed you should quarantine for 14 days, even while waiting for a test or even if the test comes back negative,” he said. “A test should not be taken until at least seven days after exposure. If you get a test now and are negative, that doesn’t mean you won’t turn positive in the next day or two, especially if you and those in your household aren’t quarantining.”
Kansas City has community drive-through testing sites scheduled for next week at various locations throughout the city. Walk-up testing is available at the locations from 10 a.m. to noon on a first-come, first-served basis and is open to residents of any city within Jackson or Clay counties.
Appointments, which are recommended due to the high demand for testing, are available from 11 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. by calling 311 for residents who live in Kansas City proper.
The days and locations are: Monday at Southeast High School, 3500 E. Meyer Blvd.; Tuesday at Kansas City University School of Medicine and Biosciences, 1615 Independence Ave., Parking Lot G, and Friendship Baptist Church, 3530 Chelsea Drive; Wednesday at Holmeswood Baptist Church, 9700 Holmes Road; and Thursday at Super Flea, 6200 St. John Ave.
The tests are free and open to residents of Kansas City and Jackson and Clay counties.
“The community testing sites are intended to target the highest impact areas of the city,” Thompson said. “We have reached capacity quickly in recent weeks. There were a few weeks toward the end of summer when testing demand eased up, but now more people see how rapidly the virus is spreading based on how quickly our COVID-19 cases and deaths are rising. They want to be tested.”
Hospitals, clinics and pharmacies in the Kansas City area also offer testing. For a list, go to www.kcmo.gov and click on the local COVID-19 information link.
The Jackson County Health Department conducts testing from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., with a break for lunch from 11:50 a.m. to 12:40 p.m., at various locations throughout the community. Visit jacohd.org/events to view upcoming dates and locations.
“We get test results back within three days,” said Kayla Parker, communications coordinator with the Jackson County Health Department. “For any testing site, individuals should wear masks and make sure to check the requirements, such as age, residency, etc., before attending.”
Independence conducts testing throughout the city. People can register at indep.us/covidtests. Those without a computer can call 816-325-7121.
Testing will also be done from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Thursdays and Fridays, excluding holidays, at the National Guard, 616 NE Douglas St. in Lee’s Summit. People can register at https://www.doineedacovid19test.com/LeesSummit_MO_2191.html.
In Johnson County
If you want to get a free COVID-19 test from the Johnson County health department, you better log in on a Thursday to sign up.
That’s when new appointments will be made available for the following week for people who either live or work in Johnson County to schedule a time to visit the drive-thru testing clinic in Olathe.
But with coronavirus transmission surging at record levels, those slots are filling up fast, meaning it might take an extra week to get tested, said spokeswoman Barbara Mitchell.
The Johnson County health department offers free COVID-19 testing every week, although appointments are first come, first serve.
Health officials urge residents to seek testing from their primary health care provider first before making an appointment. But if a free nasal swab test is needed, people who live or work in the county can schedule an appointment from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m Monday through Friday, as well as 3 to 7 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays. The drive-thru clinic is at 11875 S. Sunset Drive, Olathe.
Booking an open slot might take some time, Mitchell said, but she encouraged residents to continue checking each day to see if any appointments were canceled. But once at the testing appointment, the process should be relatively quick.
The health department provides test results within three or four days, through an email or phone call. The tests are open to anyone age 16 or older, or to children who have a parent present, with or without symptoms. To book an appointment, visit jocogov.org/schedule-covid-19-test.
Heart to Heart International also is offering free, drive-thru testing in Johnson County. No appointment is necessary, but pre-registration is encouraged to shorten wait times, according to its website. The nasal swab tests are available for people 6 years and older.
Test results will be available within 48 to 72 hours, either by email or a phone call.
Drive-thru testing will be available from 1 to 4 p.m. on Nov. 18, at Gardner First Baptist Church, 324 E. Shawnee St., Gardner; from 9 a.m. to noon on Nov. 19 at Life Spring Church, 206 N. Webster St., Spring Hill; from 9 a.m. to noon on Nov. 21 at Shawnee Town, 11600 Johnson Drive, Shawnee; and from 9 a.m. to noon on Dec. 12, also at Shawnee Town.
To pre-register for a test, visit hearttoheart.org/jococovid.
Johnson County residents also can find COVID-19 testing at CVS Health, Hy-Vee, hospitals and urgent care facilities. In north Overland Park, for example, CareNow Urgent Care is offering testing at 9507 Antioch Road. CareNow offers both rapid tests and nasal swab tests.
Rapid tests take between 5 and 13 minutes, and results are available before patients leave. Send-off test results are available within two to five days, according to its website.
Patients should bring their driver’s license and insurance card. If they do not have insurance, the cost is roughly $250, for both the test and lab results. For more information, visit carenow.com.
In the Northland
The increased interest in testing is pretty obvious to officials at Clay County Public Health Center. All that they need to do is look at statistics for their website.
The number of people seeking testing options in the county on its COVID-19 Testing web page has skyrocketed. In recent weeks the number of page views has doubled, reaching its highest level in the pandemic.
“I suppose you could attribute some of the rise to our new pop-up test events that people have shown great interest in and that we have increased marketing of the site a bit, but overall, the increase in testing interest is clear,” said Kelsey Neth, communications specialist with the Clay County Public Health Center.
That demand will likely increase as the holiday season approaches and people are in more situations where they could be exposed or seek testing as a precaution before gatherings, she said.
The health center offers free COVID-19 testing to all Clay County residents at its Hospital Valley test site, 556 Rush Creek Parkway in Liberty. It has also partnered with Heart to Heart International to provide testing in other Clay County cities. There are other testing opportunities in the county as well.
“I believe most, if not all testing being done is free,” Neth said. “Wait times depend on the set-up of a test site.”
The Clay County Public Health Center’s Liberty location, for example, schedules patients in time blocks to where they should never be waiting more than 30 minutes.
Other test sites, especially where appointments are not made or preregistration is not required, can sometimes see wait times of more than an hour, she said.
There are free tests at eTrueNorth Testing locations at several Hy-Vee stores and the Price Chopper at 500 N.E. Barry Road in Kansas City. Days and hours vary by location. To make an make an appointment, go to www.DoINeedaCOVID19test.com.
There are also free tests available at several CVS Health and Walgreen locations.
For more locations where COVID-19 tests are available, go to the Clay County Public Health Center’s website at https://www.clayhealth.com/285/COVID-19-Testing.
“We recognize that when people want testing, they usually want it ASAP so they can know if they can return to life as usual,” Neth said. “We’ve worked hard to increase the number of testing opportunities in our area, to try to make that happen.
“However, the reality is that a lot of people are wanting testing at the same time and depending on when and where you’re seeking testing, it could take up to a week to get the answers you’re looking for (accounting for time to secure an appointment and receive results).”
In Platte County, testing has been expanded to include residents with or without symptoms of COVID-19, according to the Platte County Heath Department’s website.
Those wishing to be tested must complete a self-reporting tool. People are asked to allow 48 hours for the health department to set up an appointment. Those who have come in contact with someone diagnosed with COVID-19 are asked to wait five days after their exposure to get tested.
People with an urgent question about testing are asked to call 816-587-5998, #220.
In Wyandotte County
People who live or work in Wyandotte County can get free testing from the Unified Government Public Health Department. Testing is offered from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Friday and is available regardless of symptoms or exposure.
Results usually come back in two to three days, said Jannell Friesen, public information officer for the health department.
Additional free “pop-up” testing sites are available around the county. Testing is being conducted 8 to 11 a.m. Mondays at Oak Ridge Baptist Church, 9301 Parallel Parkway; 8 to 11 a.m. Tuesdays at All Saints Parish, 811 Vermont Ave.; 3 to 6 p.m. Wednesdays at Faith Deliverance Family Worship Center, 3043 State Ave.; 4 to 6 p.m. Thursday at Vibrant Health’s Argentine location, 1428 S. 32nd St.; and 9 a.m. to noon Nov. 21 at Beatrice Lee Community Center, 1310 N. 10th St., all in Kansas City, Kansas.
More information on testing in Wyanodotte County is available by going to https://bit.ly/WyCoCOVIDtest.
The University of Kansas Health System offers appointment-only drive-thru COVID-19 testing for current patients at its Indian Creek Campus, 10790 Nall Avenue in Overland Park, and its main campus, 3901 Rainbow Blvd., said Amanda Gartner, director of Quality and Safety, during a morning video update.
“That hasn’t slowed down at all,” she said. “We are actually increasing our number of tests we are doing every single day.”
People who are not currently a patient can set up a COVID-19 urgent care video visit.
Patients within five to seven days of exposure should call their doctor or the health system at 913-588-1600 to arrange a test. Insurance usually covers the cost.
This story was originally published November 13, 2020 at 5:29 PM.
