Arizona COVID-19 testing: Where you can go and how to make an appointment

Who should get tested?

The Centers for Disease Control says the following people should get tested for COVID-19:

• People who have symptoms of COVID-19.
• People who have come into close contact with someone with COVID-19 should be tested to check for infection: Fully vaccinated people should be tested 5–7 days after their last exposure. People who are not fully vaccinated should get tested immediately when they find out they are a close contact. If their test result is negative, they should get tested again 5–7 days after their last exposure or immediately if symptoms develop.
• Fully vaccinated people should be tested 5–7 days after their last exposure.
• People who are not fully vaccinated should get tested immediately when they find out they are a close contact. If their test result is negative, they should get tested again 5–7 days after their last exposure or immediately if symptoms develop.
• People not fully vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccine who are prioritized for expanded community screening for COVID-19.
• People not fully vaccinated with COVID-19 vaccine who have been asked or referred to get testing by their school, workplace, healthcare provider, state, tribal, or local health department.

"People who have tested positive for COVID-19 within the past 3 months and recovered, as long as they do not develop new symptoms, do not need to get tested."

See https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/testing/diagnostic-testing.html for more information.

If you were exposed to someone with COVID-19 or experiencing symptoms, you can contact the following healthcare companies and organizations about getting a test:

Statewide

COVID-19 testing sites, hours of operation: AZDHS.gov/covid19/index.php#everyone-get-tested - the Arizona Department of Health Services says most sites require pre-registration.

Registration for COVID-19 Test - https://doineedacovid19test.com

CVS

CVS offers lab and rapid-result tests. PCR/NAAT lab tests get results within 1-2 days, while the PCR rapid test results are within hours. 

When testing for travel, the website states, "Requirements vary by destination. It is your responsibility to select the correct test type for your destination and to get tested at the proper time to get a valid result. Test types and turnaround times are listed when you schedule your test."

On https://www.cvs.com/minuteclinic/covid-19-testing, enter your zip code for a list of nearby locations. You must register in advance at CVS.com to schedule an appointment, which can be made up to 13 days in advance.

CVS says patients should not have any out-of-pocket costs, but you should check with your health plan to confirm before scheduling a test.

Walgreens

Walgreens is offering free, contactless COVID-19 testing (PCR, ID NOW, BinaxNOW) for patients ages 3 and up at select locations. Enter your zip code on https://www.walgreens.com/findcare/covid19/testing to find a testing site near you.

Walk-in testing is not available. "Patients must arrive in a vehicle and are not permitted to exit the vehicle or enter the testing location."

Complete a screening survey on the website to see if you're eligible for testing and follow the instructions they provide.

Walmart

An appointment is required. For a map of locations and to register in advance, go to https://corporate.walmart.com/covid19testing.

At-home COVID-19 antigen screening self-tests and self-administered PCR mail-in tests are also available in stores and on Walmart.com and SamsClub.com.

Maricopa County Library District

When the pandemic started, it was really hard to get your hands on a COVID-19 test. Now, it's much easier, and thanks to the Maricopa County Library District you can get one to do at home, for free. Visit mcldaz.org/status to see current COVID-19 Self-Test Kit availability at library locations.

Banner Health - Phoenix metro and Tucson

Banner Health is only offering diagnostic testing. Antibody testing is not available at this time.

For locations and to schedule an appointment: https://www.bannerhealth.com/staying-well/health-and-wellness/wellness/covid/testing

City of Phoenix mobile testing

The city of Phoenix is offering no out-of-pocket cost testing at their mobile testing units. The units are scheduled through the new year to make stops at different parts of the Phoenix community. To see a list of dates, times and locations for those testing sites, check https://www.phoenix.gov/newsroom/em-and-hs/1399 for more information.

Some testing events will be offering vaccines, too.

Mesa Public Library

Coronavirus cases are surging across the nation and some Valley libraries are giving away free at-home COVID-19 tests -- and the demand for them is high. Self-administered at-home BinaxNOW antigen tests are available for pickup at all Mesa Public Library locations on a first-come, first-served basis while supplies last. Check https://www.mesalibrary.org/find/at-home-covid-19-testing-kits for availability updates.

Honor Health

PCR and serology (antibody) testing is available for people age 3 months and older at: 

• 1515 E Bethany Home Road Ste 120B, Phoenix - 602-674-6260
• 1124 E McKellips Road Ste 102, Mesa - 480-587-5520

"You will not be charged for the test at the time it is administered. If you have health insurance, HonorHealth will bill your insurance. Your insurance will determine the amount you owe."

Symptom checker, live chat, testing information: https://www.honorhealth.com/coronavirus-covid-19

Maready Medical

Drive-up testing is available for Maready Medical's existing and new patients. They require symptomatic patients to be seen first by virtual visits and if you meet the criteria, you can drive to their office located at 4135 S. Power Rd. #113. To schedule, call the office at 480-626-2444 or book online.

MORE: https://www.mareadymedical.com

Embry Health

"For the free PCR COVID-19 test, Embry Health uses anterior nares (nasal) swabs or oropharyngeal (oral) swabs. The nasal swab only inserts the nostril at 1cm making COVID-19 testing easy and comfortable for our patients. Upon request, providers will test with the oral swab."

To book an appointment: https://embryhealth.com/covid-19-testing

Arizona State University

ASU offers free COVID-19 saliva testing. Head to https://biodesign.asu.edu/research/clinical-testing/testing for more information.

RELATED: Is it the flu, a cold or COVID-19? Different viruses present similar symptoms

NextCare Urgent Care

Rapid testing is available at some locations. Visit https://nextcare.com/curbside to see how many people are in line to get tested via curbside.

FastMed Urgent Care

"Provider evaluation is required prior to testing. Available while supplies last." Schedule a visit online and complete e-registration.

County Health Departments

Apache County

Call for an appointment at the St. Johns Clinic at 110 E. 1st St. (928) 337-7977 or the Round Valley Clinic at 323 S. Mountain Ave. in Springerville (928) 333-2415.

For more information: https://www.apachecountyaz.gov/Clinical-Services

Cochise County

For a map of diagnostic testing locations, head to https://covid-cochisehealth.hub.arcgis.com.

Coconino County

Saliva-based COVID-19 testing at Northern Arizona University's Fieldhouse (1050 S. Knoles Drive in Flagstaff) is free and open to the public. Register at https://coconino.az.gov/2338/Testing-Information. 

Gila County

Canyonlands Healthcare in Globe offers testing by appointment. Call 928-402-0491.

MORE: https://www.gilacountyaz.gov/news_detail_T5_R475.php

Maricopa County

For a calendar of testing events and locations, head to https://www.maricopa.gov/5588/COVID-19-Testing.

Navajo County

For locations, hours, and requirements: https://reports.mysidewalk.com/ebaab58e56

Pima County

You can get tested for free with or without COVID-19 symptoms or without a doctor's referral. You cannot get tested for free if your test is needed for occupational or work-required reasons, if you need a test for travel, or had a test administered at a Pima County site within the last 14 days.

Locations:

• 88 E. Broadway Blvd, Tucson
• 1660 W. Ruthrauff Rd., Tucson
• 315 W. Irvington Road, Tucson
• 6009 E. Grant Road, Tucson
• 6011 E. Grant Road, Tucson
• Tucson International Airport - 7250 S. Tucson Blvd.

For more information and to register, head to https://webcms.pima.gov.

Pinal County

Free PCR COVID-19 testing is available in Florence every Monday and Thursday at 174 W. 1st St. and in Casa Grande at the Dorothy Powell Senior Center (405 E. 6th St.) Walk-in appointments are welcome at both locations. Head to https://www.pinalcountyaz.gov for more information.

Santa Cruz County

Free tests are available at 275 Rio Rico Dr. in Rio Rico. Walk-ins are welcome, or you can call for an appointment: (520) 604-9321. Bring a government-issued ID. More information is available here or https://www.santacruzcountyaz.gov/732/COVID-19-Novel-Coronavirus.

Yavapai County

"COVID-19 testing is available at most local pharmacies and physician’s offices. Please call the location you would like to get tested at for the most accurate testing information and appointment availability. Rapid antigen self-test kits are also available at most pharmacies. If you take a rapid self-test kit and test positive, please call the Health Department to report the result."

Locations in the Quad-Cities, Verde Valley, and Bagdad areas are available. For addresses and details, head to https://yavapaiaz.gov/chs/COVID-19/Testing.

Yuma County

YRMC, San Luis Walk-in clinics, NextCare, Pinnacle Healthcare, Embry Health, and PrimeCare offer testing locations. See https://www.yumacountyaz.gov for addresses and the types of tests that are available.

Navajo Nation

The Navajo Nation was one of the hardest-hit communities in the country during the pandemic, and of course, it continues monitoring new cases on tribal land. For a list of locations and times to get tested for COVID-19 on the Navajo Nation, check https://www.ndoh.navajo-nsn.gov/Covid-19/Covid-19-Testing.

COVID-19 in Arizona during the holidays

The state coronavirus dashboard reported 7,641 new confirmed cases but no deaths on Dec. 27. This comes after a tally of only 344 cases and no deaths a day earlier.

Steve Elliott, state Department of Health Services spokesman, says no virus data was processed on Christmas Day. That’s why the number of cases on Sunday was so low. The daily case counts will likely be high for the next few days as the dashboard catches up.

Since the pandemic started, Arizona has seen 1,362,693 cases and 23,982 deaths.

As of Dec. 26, there were 2,327 patients with COVID-19 hospitalized statewide. Of those, 630 were in intensive care.

"People are adhering to health advisories, being tested, so we are seeing our numbers increase significantly," said Dr. Carmen Hill-Mekoba with Embry Health.

The lines to get tested are getting longer – once again.

Embry Health officials say their daily numbers for testing have almost doubled in the last week with one day reaching 17,000 people getting tested across Arizona.

"I do think some people are symptomatic, but there are a lot of asymptomatic people who just want to get tested," Hill-Mekoba said.

Embry Health says on top of people wanting to get tested after coming down with symptoms, many people want to check their status after their holiday gatherings and before upcoming ones like New Year's Day.

"We have all hands on deck, so we have backup support. Certainly, lines will be longer but not where you are waiting 30 minutes to get tested," Hill-Mekoba said.

For Embry Health testing locations, click here.

Embry Health to open 100 more COVID-19 testing locations, hire 500 new employees

One of the leading COVID-19 testing health care agencies in Arizona, Embry Health, announced it reached a milestone on Friday, Dec. 24 after testing its 1.6 millionth patient nationwide since the start of the pandemic.

In an effort to help test even more people, Embry Health announced it's expanding by 100 locations and will be hiring 500 new employees across the nation to support the need for more tests as COVID-19 numbers are spiking in Arizona and across the country.

The new testing sites are expected to open by the end of January 2022. The health care agency has locations in Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma and Florida.

"At Embry Health, we are joined in a common purpose: helping people on their path to better health, through quality care. We are innovating healthcare through new initiatives that make quality care more accessible, easier to use, less expensive, and patient-focused. Working together and organizing around the individual, we are pioneering new approaches to total health that puts the patient first," a news release read.

In September, Embry Health reported a spike in the need for testing when the delta variant was the dominant variant. As of Dec. 27, omicron is named the dominate variant.

At-home tests are hard to come by

With the long lines and empty shelves where at-home tests used to sit, getting any kind of test can be hard to come by right now.

Heather Walker is the pharmacist at Melrose Pharmacy in Phoenix and says the at-home tests are simply not available even though she has been looking.

"So I looked into quite a few wholesalers, and it is hard, everyone is out of stock," she said.

She is not the only one dealing with this. Many other retailers are completely sold out as of Dec. 27.

President Joe Biden acknowledged the testing shortages happening all over the country, and he announced a plan to offer 500 million at-home tests to Americans sometime in the next month.

To protect yourself, wash your hands well and often, keep them away from your face, and avoid crowds and standing close to people.

And if you do find yourself showing any of these flu or coronavirus symptoms - don't go straight to your doctor's office. That just risks making more people sick, officials urge. Call ahead, and ask if you need to be seen and where.

COVID-19 symptoms

Expect a common cold to start out with a sore or scratchy throat, cough, runny and/or stuffy nose. Flu symptoms are more intense and usually come on suddenly, and can include a high fever. 

Symptoms of COVID-19 may appear more slowly. They usually include fever, a dry cough and noticeable shortness of breath, according to the World Health Organization. A minority of cases develop pneumonia, and the disease is especially worrisome for the elderly and those with other medical problems such as high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes or heart conditions.

To protect yourself, wash your hands well and often, keep them away from your face, and avoid crowds and standing close to people.

And if you do find yourself showing any of these flu or coronavirus symptoms - don't go straight to your doctor's office. That just risks making more people sick, officials urge. Call ahead, and ask if you need to be seen and where.

In order to protect yourself from a possible infection, the CDC recommends: 

• Avoid close contact with people who are sick.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth.
• Stay home when you are sick.
• Cover your cough or sneeze with a tissue, then throw the tissue in the trash.
• Clean and disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces using a regular household cleaning spray or wipe.
• Cover your mouth and nose with a cloth face cover when around others
• Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, especially after going to the bathroom; before eating; and after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
• Monitor your health daily