More clinics offer rapid covid-19 testing

Nurse Pansy James (center) administers a covid-19 test, Saturday, May 23, 2020 at the Center for Nonprofits parking lot in Springdale.
Nurse Pansy James (center) administers a covid-19 test, Saturday, May 23, 2020 at the Center for Nonprofits parking lot in Springdale.

FAYETTEVILLE -- Antigen tests, which can detect covid-19 within an hour, are becoming more widely available to Northwest Arkansas residents.

Washington Regional Medical System began offering covid-19 antigen testing at several of its clinics this week, according to Natalie Hardin, spokeswoman.

"The antigen test can be used for symptomatic individuals and is available at the discretion of our providers. A positive antigen test means that a patient has or has had covid-19, and no further testing is necessary," according to Natalie Hardin, spokeswoman.

The Arkansas Department of Health recommends all negative antigen tests be confirmed by a molecular, polymerase chain reaction test before the patient leaves the clinic. A polymerase test is also available at these clinics and is used for symptomatic and asymptotic individuals, Hardin said.

Polymerase chain reaction tests and antigen tests can detect covid-19. Results from antigen tests take less than an hour compared to days for polymerase tests.

Likewise, Mercy Health System recently began offering antigen tests at several of its clinics and will make it available at more clinics within the next week, according to Jennifer Cook, spokeswoman. The antigen tests are only for patients with covid-19 symptoms.

Symptoms of covid-19 include fever, chills, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, fatigue, muscle or body aches, headache, loss of taste or smell, sore throat, congestion, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Both antigen and most PCR tests are done via nasal swabs. The latter requires a long swab far up the nose, while antigen tests require swabbing the front of the inside of the nose.

The number of cumulative covid-19 cases in Benton and Washington counties increased about 1,000 within the past week, according to the Arkansas Department of Health. Cases had increased by about 700 the week before.

Washington County had 10,748 cumulative cases as of 5:15 p.m. Friday, compared with 10,171 on Oct. 9. Active cases increased from 515 to 612. Cases as of Friday included 9,858 confirmed cases and 890 probable cases.

Benton County had 7,512 cumulative cases as of 5:15 p.m. Friday, compared with 7,065 on Oct. 9. Active cases increased from 396 to 424. Cases as of Friday included 7,057 confirmed cases and 455 probable cases.

A total of 88,033 PCR tests and 1,831 antigen tests been done among Benton County residents, while 95,563 PCR tests and 5,177 antigen tests have been done among Washington County residents, according to the department.

The state Health Department began doing PCR tests May 18 at county health units and now also offers antigen at all of its local county health units. The department has heath units in Fayetteville, Rogers and Siloam Springs.

The Washington County health units collected 16,798 specimens, and the Benton County health units collected 5,945 as of Thursday, according to the department. The data includes both PCR and antigen tests.

Washington Regional Health System collected 20,011 specimens to be tested from people from March 16 through Thursday, according to Natalie Hardin, spokeswoman. The data includes PCR and antigen tests performed at its covid-19 screening clinics and primary care clinics. It doesn't include specimens collected at Washington Regional's urgent care clinics throughout the region.

Hospitals in Benton and Washington counties had 52 patients in covid-19 units as of Friday, according to data available from the region's largest health care organizations by Martine Pollard, a spokeswoman at Mercy Health System. The number of hospitalized covid-19 patients has bounced around between 50 and 59 over the past week. The highest number of hospitalized covid-19 patients the region was 113 patients on July 7.

Thirty-five patients in the region were on ventilators. The number includes patients with and without covid-19, according to the statement.

The four largest school districts in Northwest Arkansas reported 79 virus cases in the past week.

Rogers Public Schools had 139 cases, an increase of 24 since Oct. 9. The district had 407 people in quarantine as of Friday, according to the district's website.

The Springdale district had 214 cases, an increase of 48 since Oct. 9, according to the district's website.

The districts' data include students, staff and faculty.

Bentonville's School District had 89 covid-19 cases, an increase of six since Oct. 9, according to the district's website. The district had 128 students and 25 faculty or staff members quarantined and unable to attend school.

The Fayetteville district had 80 staff and faculty members test positive for the virus as of Thursday, an increase of one since Oct. 9. Forty staff and/or faculty and 176 students were in quarantine as of Thursday, according to the district's website. The website was not updated to reflect Friday's data as of 5:40 p.m.

More News

Covid-19 testing

The following offer both antigen tests and polymerase chain reaction, or PCR tests for covid-19.

Washington County Health Unit: 3270 Wimberly Drive in Fayetteville. Patients should call (479) 521-8181 to make an appointment.

Benton County Health Unit: 1200 W. Walnut St., Suite 2200 in Rogers. Patients should call (479) 986-1300 to make an appointment.

Washington Regional Urgent Care: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and 1-6 p.m. Sunday at 1301 S. Walton Blvd. in Bentonville.

Washington Regional Urgent Care: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Friday., 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and 1-6 p.m. Sunday at 808 U.S. 65 in Harrison.

Washington Regional Urgent Care: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and 1-6 p.m. Sunday at 2301 W. Pleasant Grove Road, Suite 101 in Rogers.

Washington Regional Urgent Care: 8 a.m.-8 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Saturday and 1-6 p.m. Sunday at 3300 W. Sunset Ave. in Springdale.

Washington Regional Urgent Care, 3 E. Appleby Road, Suite 101 in Fayetteville. 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. Appointments are not required.

Washington Regional Internal Medicine Associates, 688 Millsap Road, Suite 100 in Fayetteville. 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 7:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Friday. Appointments are required.

Washington Regional Shiloh Clinic, 513 N. Shiloh St. in Springdale. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Appointments are required.

Washington Regional East Springdale Family Clinic, 1607 S. Old Missouri Road in Springdale. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Friday. Appointments are required.

Washington Regional Farmington Family Clinic, 199 E. Main St. in Farmington. 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m.-noon. Friday. Appointments are required.

West Washington County Clinic inside Lincoln Middle School, 201 E. School St. in Lincoln. 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m.-3:30 p.m. Friday. Appointments are required.

Washington Regional Crossroads Family Clinic, U.S. 62 North, Harrison. 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m.-12 p.m. Friday. Appointments are required.

Washington Regional Eureka Springs Family Clinic, 146 Passion Play Road in Eureka Springs. 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Appointments are required for testing in the clinic. Drive-through antigen testing is available 8 a.m.-noon Monday through Friday. An appointment is not necessary for drive-through testing.

Community Clinic Siloam Springs Medical: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 500 S. Mount Olive St., No. 200 in Siloam Springs.

Community Clinic Rogers Medical: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 1233 W. Poplar St. in Rogers.

Community Clinic Springdale Medical and Pediatrics: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 614 E. Emma Ave., Suite 300 in Springdale.

Community Clinic Fayetteville Medical: 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, 3162 W. Martin Luther King Blvd., Suites 13 and 14.

Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas Family Medicine South: 7 a.m.-4 p.m. Monday through Friday, 2523 E. Huntsville Road in Fayetteville.

Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas Family Medicine: 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 1109 S. West End St. in Springdale. Patients must call (479) 750-3630 to make an appointment.

Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas Family Medicine Pinnacle Hills: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 3730 Pinnacle Hills Parkway, Suite 2 in Rogers. Patients must make an appointment by calling (479) 464-5599.

Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas Urgent Care Wedington: 7 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Sunday, 1188 N. Salem Road, Suite 6 in Fayetteville.

Northwest Arkansas Pediatrics: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday, 3380 N. Futrall Drive in Fayetteville. Patients should call (479) 442-7322 to schedule a telemedicine screening appointment.

MedExpress Urgent Care: 8 a.m.-8 p.m., 1160 S. 40th St. in Springdale. Patients must call (479) 750-2971 to make an appointment.

Northwest Medical Center: 601 S.W. Regional Airport Blvd. in Bentonville. Patients may call (479) 306-7507.

Northwest Medical Center: 2158 Butterfield Coach Road, Suite 100 in Springdale. Patients may call (479) 306-7507.

Mercy Coronavirus Evaluation Site: Mercy Convenient Care, 3101 S.E. 14th St. in Bentonville. Patients must call (479) 717-7585 beforehand to make an appointment to be screened.

Mercy Clinic Convenient Care: 3101 Southeast 14th St. in Bentonville.

Mercy Clinic Primary Care: 2900 Southeast Moberly Lane in Bentonville.

Mercy Clinic Primary Care: 1 Mercy Way in Bella Vista.

Mercy Clinic Primary Care: 4600 Mercy Lane, Suite 140 in Springdale.

Mercy Clinic Primary Care: 1000 Southeast 13th Court in Bentonville.

Mercy Clinic Primary Care: 1401 N. Walton Blvd. in Bentonville.

Mercy Clinic Primary Care: 1225 E. Centerton Blvd. in Centerton.

Mercy Clinic Family Medicine: 613 N. Second St. in Rogers.

Mercy Clinic Primary Care: 200 Carr St. in Pea Ridge.

The following offer polymerase chain reaction, or PCR, tests for covid-19. These clinics may not offer antigen tests.

Mercy GoHealth Urgent Care: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday through Sunday, 2012 S. Promenade Blvd. in Rogers. Patients may walk in or make an appointment.

Mercy GoHealth Urgent Care: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday through Sunday, 4962 Elm Springs Road, Suite 5 in Springdale. Patients may walk in or make an appointment.

Mercy GoHealth Urgent Care: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday through Sunday, 3391 N. College Ave. in Fayetteville. Patients may walk in or make an appointment.

Walmart/Quest testing site: 7-9 a.m. Thursday and Friday at Walmart Neighborhood Market, 1400 N. Walton Blvd. in Bentonville. Patients must schedule an appointment through Quest Diagnostic’s online portal, MyQuestCOVIDTest.com or MyQuest app.

Washington Regional Coronavirus Screening Center: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Sunday at Washington Regional Urgent Care, 3 E. Appleby Road in Fayetteville.

Washington Regional Coronavirus Screening Center: 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Saturday and Sunday at 3318 N. North Hills Blvd. in Fayetteville.

Screening

Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas online screening: mana.md/covid-19-screening/.

Medical Associates of Northwest Arkansas fever hotline: (479) 435-2500.

Veterans enrolled in Veterans Affairs health care may call (800) 691-8387.

UAMS digital screening: www.uamshealth.com/….

UAMS hotline: (800) 632-4502.

Washington Regional hotline: 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, (479) 463-2055.

Arkansas Children’s Hospital hotline for child health: (800) 743-3616.

Alex Golden may be reached by email at agolden@nwadg.com.

Upcoming Events