As part of our commitment to help Texas fight COVID-19,

Katy Gaston Urgent Care is offering COVID-19 diagnostic testing—including PCR (nasal swab) and rapid COVID-19 tests—as well as antibody testing.

Before you or a loved one gets tested, it’s important to know:

•Diagnostic tests for COVID-19—such as PCR (nasal swab) and rapid COVID-19 tests—detect the current presence of the virus.

•Antibody tests determine whether you have been previously infected by the COVID-19 virus. These tests should not be used to diagnose someone who may have a current case of COVID-19.

COVID-19 Diagnostic Testing

Katy Gaston Urgent Care is offering two different types of COVID-19 testing: We offer COVID PCR tests, as well as Antigen tests. Both of these tests diagnose the current presence of the virus.

PCR (Nasal Swab) vs Rapid Testing

•In both tests, a nasopharyngeal swab is administered to collect a sample. This means a swab is inserted through the nose to collect nasal secretions from the back of the nose and throat.

•PCR (nasal swab) tests detect viral genetic material in the sample. Test results are typically available in 1 to 2 days.

•In contrast, rapid COVID-19 tests detect specific protein in the collected sample, which may indicate a COVID-19 infection. Results are available at the point-of-care, normally in less than an hour.

•While both tests are reliable, PCR testing can generally be more accurate. Rapid COVID-19 testing may have a higher chance of generating a false-negative compared to PCR testing, according to the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA).