via Louisiana Department of Health Updated March 3, 2021
Walgreens Testing
The Louisiana Department of Health and Walgreens are partnering to provide COVID-19 testing by appointment at select Walgreens locations. These sites more than double the available 7-days-a-week testing locations for people to receive a test. LDH-Walgreens locations offer COVID-19 testing at no cost to the patient, though insurance information may be requested. You will not be billed if your insurance denies coverage.
Testing is available to people ages 3 and older. Appointments are required; make yours at walgreens.com/covid19testing. Bring your personal ID to your appointment, as well as insurance information if you have it. Test results are available within 72 hours of test collection: by email if negative, or by email and a phone call if positive.
Click on the Walgreens map to find a testing location in your area.
Community Testing Sites
The Louisiana Department of Health recommends COVID-19 testing for any patients who are experiencing symptoms such as fever, cough or shortness of breath. If you have these symptoms or believe you may have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, contact your primary care physician for guidance. However, you do not have to be experiencing symptoms to be tested.
Test results are available in approximately 3-5 days. The Department of Health does not get any test results, and we recommend that patients who get tested ask staff at the testing site when to expect results, and where to call to get those results. When getting tested, we recommend everyone ask for a phone number to call if you haven’t received your results within the timeframe you were given.
The Department of Health strongly urges you to self-quarantine while you wait for your test result. Testing does not replace staying at home. If you believe you have been exposed to COVID-19, you should stay at your home and away from others, including your family if possible, for 14 days since the date of exposure.
As of December 7, 2020, the Department of Health adopted CDC’s new guidance to allow shortening the quarantine period in some circumstances from 14 days to 10 days, or as few as 7 days with a negative test.
A quarantine period of 14 days is still preferred, but there are options to shorten quarantine based on local circumstances and resources.
- Quarantine can end after 10 days, if no symptoms have been reported during daily monitoring.
- Quarantine can end after 7 days, if the individual takes a COVID test, receives a negative result, and if no symptoms were reported during daily monitoring.
You should wait a few days from when you were exposed. This is because the time between when you are exposed and when your test would be positive can vary from 4-14 days. Therefore, even though someone may have the virus, the test would not be positive until possibly day 4 or longer. If you have been a close contact of someone who is positive, consult with your doctor to see if they think you need to be tested and when.
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