Updated 8/1/21
There are easy ways to get a COVID test without a physician order in Columbia, MO
1. Walgreens and CVS pharmacies nationwide offer free COVID testing without a physician order.
You will need to register online and choose an appointment time.
Testing is done at their drive through pharmacy window.
You will not have to leave your car.
Self swab with a comfortable mid nasal technique that the pharmacy staff will guide you through.
High quality PCR test.
Results typically in 48 hours.
2. MU Health .
High quality PCR tests, All free, No physician order needed.
All results are available within 48 hours, sometimes much more quickly through their patient web portal. Appointments required.
South Providence, Battle Avenue, and Stadium and Broadway locations
There are easy ways to get a COVID test without a physician order in Columbia, MO
1. Walgreens and CVS pharmacies nationwide offer free COVID testing without a physician order.
You will need to register online and choose an appointment time.
Testing is done at their drive through pharmacy window.
You will not have to leave your car.
Self swab with a comfortable mid nasal technique that the pharmacy staff will guide you through.
High quality PCR test.
Results typically in 48 hours.
2. MU Health .
High quality PCR tests, All free, No physician order needed.
All results are available within 48 hours, sometimes much more quickly through their patient web portal. Appointments required.
South Providence, Battle Avenue, and Stadium and Broadway locations
Things to Consider
Who should get tested?
Anyone with symptom or symptoms of COVID 19, regardless of exposure or vaccination status.
Remember that many cases are mild or can be mild early in the course. A person can feel mostly well, have only one or a few mild symptoms and still have COVID 19. There really isn't any way to tell if a person has COVID 19 or a summer cold or allergies or any other illness without a test. Getting tested often is a way to be a good public health citizen.
might have one or more of the following symptoms:
What kind of test? For most situations, a PCR test is the highest quality, most reliable test. Any test can give a false result, but the PCR test has the best track record of detecting infection when it is present (high sensitivity, low false negative results), but not over diagnosing (high specificity, low false positive results). Same day testing is typically done with rapid antigen testing and/or antibody testing. Both of these tests, even when combined, can miss the diagnosis more often than the PCR test. In my opinion, the PCR results are worth the wait.
Best way to get rapid results? If you can get a test on a weekday morning early in the day at an MU site, the results have often been available on the patient portal by the end of the day.
What about contact tracing? When case numbers are high, the Health Departments often get overwhelmed and are unable to reach out to people with new positive tests. Most of us will be on our own to reach out to people we may have exposed or may have exposed us. The CDC has some guidance to help.
Anyone with symptom or symptoms of COVID 19, regardless of exposure or vaccination status.
Remember that many cases are mild or can be mild early in the course. A person can feel mostly well, have only one or a few mild symptoms and still have COVID 19. There really isn't any way to tell if a person has COVID 19 or a summer cold or allergies or any other illness without a test. Getting tested often is a way to be a good public health citizen.
might have one or more of the following symptoms:
- A person with COVID 19 may have no symptoms and may feel perfectly healthy
- Headache
- Fever
- Cough
- Shortness of breath
- Chest pain
- Malaise (I feel bad)
- Fatigue
- Nausea
- Poor apetite
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Diarrhea
- Confusion or changes in clear thinking
What kind of test? For most situations, a PCR test is the highest quality, most reliable test. Any test can give a false result, but the PCR test has the best track record of detecting infection when it is present (high sensitivity, low false negative results), but not over diagnosing (high specificity, low false positive results). Same day testing is typically done with rapid antigen testing and/or antibody testing. Both of these tests, even when combined, can miss the diagnosis more often than the PCR test. In my opinion, the PCR results are worth the wait.
Best way to get rapid results? If you can get a test on a weekday morning early in the day at an MU site, the results have often been available on the patient portal by the end of the day.
What about contact tracing? When case numbers are high, the Health Departments often get overwhelmed and are unable to reach out to people with new positive tests. Most of us will be on our own to reach out to people we may have exposed or may have exposed us. The CDC has some guidance to help.