We Use a Fast & Accurate COVID 19 Lab Run PCR Test
Far More Accurate Than "Rapid" Tests
This test is 98.3% accurate (sensitive) and meets requirements for international travel.
It is much more accurate than the current near-instant "rapid" tests recently made available, which is crucial when screening for the COVID 19 virus. We currently do not offer instant or near-instant "rapid" testing for COVID 19 because of it's inaccuracy. We are hopeful that more accurate instant tests will be available soon.
We Come to You
Swab Outside
$550 - per person
COVID 19 screening for work, school, meeting or air travel purposes.
- Includes in home, hotel, or workplace specimen collection and transport to lab, test & test processing, physician order and oversight.
- No extra or hidden fees
- Same Day Appointments
- Results Next Day
You Come to Us
Drive Through - or Swab Outside
$300 per person
- We are in SOMA, San Francisco, next to the CalTrain Station and AT&T Ballpark.
Dr John pop-up swab collection dates & times on the north end of Lusk St, just off Townsend St, San Francisco:
- Saturday, Nov 28 12:00pm-2:30pm
- Sunday, Nov 29th 12:00pm-2:30pm
- Monday, Nov 30th 1:00pm-3:30pm
- Tuesday, Dec 1st 1:00pm-3:30pm
- Wednesday, Dec 2nd 1:00pm-3:30pm
- Thursday, Dec 3rd 1:00pm-3:30pm
- Friday, Dec 4th 1:00pm-3:00pm
- By appointment only.
- Swab collections are done on the street, or with you in your car. Easy.
- Fee includes test & test processing, test sample collection & transport to lab, and physician order and oversight - per patient. No extra or hidden fees.
- Same day appointments.
- Results Next Day
Credit card payment online or by phone.
Invoice provided, coded for your health insurance upon request.
Once you are scheduled, we'll provide you with a secure link to set up your lab portal for fast lab result and document access.
Required travel documents are provided. We are happy to help you determine what the current travel requirements for your destination are, if needed. Just ask us
***11/28/2020 Positive PCR results are rerun with a CDC confirmatory PCR test which takes longer to process. With the recent uptick in positive PCR test results we have been able to maintain our overnight test result availability, however this can change at any time. Therefore, we recommend swabbing as early as possible within the required time window.
Travel insurers are now offering COVID 19 trip cancellation insurance.
Dr John Horning is a veteran Board Certified Emergency Physician - Top Rated on Yelp & Google
COVID 19 PCR Test
Results available in 1 day (often same day - late night. Or CDC 2 step PCR test: in lab by 9a, result by ~5p)
qRT-SARS-CoV2 RNA PCR
Used to screen for active infection
Throat or nose swab. We prefer anterior nares swab which is most comfortable for you, yet still very accurate. No deep dives!
For people with or without COVID symptoms
98.3% sensitive
100% specific.
This COVID 19 PCR test meets the following requirements:
- It is an "NAAT" = nucleic acid amplification test
- It is a "DNA test" (amplified DNA)
- It is a "cycled test"
- It has been called all of the following: PCR, RT-PCR, qRT and qPCR viral nucleic acid detection assay.
- Basically, it is a qRT-SARS-Cov-2 DNA amplified PCR test
- When the virus is not detected, result is reported as "negative", which is required for travel, in many cases.
- Also, for travelers, your name, birthdate and passport number will be listed on the test result report, as required, with your permission, of course.
Important Testing Notes:
- A "not detected" or negative test result does not guarantee no SARS-CoV-2 infection, and should not be used as the sole basis for medical and other decision making.
- Please wear a mask & socially distance even if you test PCR negative.
- Information about SARS-CoV-2 is constantly changing. We will try to keep this site up to date, but cannot guarantee accuracy.
How to choose a COVID 19 test for screening for infection
Are you considering getting and Rapid COVID 19 antigen or PCR test?
Here's what you should know:
SENSITIVITY
Quick result COVID tests are becoming increasingly available. The key to using these tests is to ask what is the accuracy, or "sensitivity". The better of these rapid tests are 80-90%, and now possibly up to 94% sensitive when used to test symptomatic people. They are less accurate when screening asymptomatic folks.
A test that is 90% sensitive, means that 1 case of COVID infection out of every 10 cases will be missed.
So wherever you go for your testing, be sure to ask in advance what is the sensitivity. And ask yourself, is the lower sensitivity of these tests reliable enough for your situation? We think 90% is not acceptable because the implications of a non-diagnosed case can be huge, if that undiagnosed person unkowingly goes on to infect others. 95% may be acceptable if the test is used on a daily basis to screen for disease, but the question that needs to be answered is whether the test adequately screens for people without symptoms.
The PCR test that we use is a lab run test that has a sensitivity of 98.3%. Most lab run PCR tests have similar accuracy. The downside with these tests is that they take a few hours to result once the lab processing has begun. In our opinion, the accuracy is well worth the relatively short wait.
Be aware, one rapid antigen test being offered by a large point of care test company has a reported sensitivity of 30% when used to screen asymptomatic people, and only 80% sensitivity when used to test people with symptoms, so with asymptomatic people, 7 out of 10 infections are missed, and even when used for symptomatic folks, 2 out of 10 infections may not be detected.
When low sensitivity tests are used, such the current instant or near-instant tests, positive results need to be confirmed with more accurate laboratory run PCR tests, and negative results indicate that perhaps, at best, there is a 9 out of 10 chance that the result is accurate.
SPECIFICITY
This is the false positive rate. With quick tests, this number varies widely. It is important to ask what is the specificity because you might end up quarantining, missing work, school, meetings or other events for no good reason. Lab run PCR tests are generally near 100%, so they are very reliable.
TIME TO TEST RESULT AVAILABILITY
Always ask about this. For the more accurate lab run PCR tests, result availability times vary, depending upon demand for the test. While larger labs have improved their result times since testing became more widespread, it is still common for results to take a few days. Symptomatic people must quarantine while awaiting results. Our PCR tests result by late evening or next morning, so are useful for those in a hurry to know if they may end their quarantine, those wanting to get back to work or school, and also for air travelers requiring a negative PCR result within a certain time period befor travel (usually 72 hours prior to departure for most countries). We have not had one traveler rejected at flight check-in when presenting our test results. With the holiday season, families and friends are increasing demand for COVID screening. A lab run PCR with fast results is the safest option, but it is important to keep in mind that people can become infected within 2 days after an exposure, so ideally, once the test swab collection is taken, people should still isolate before their meeting, event or reunion for optimal safety for all. Even with prior testing, during the event, everyone should continue to mask and distance for the safety of all.
Finally, if you are getting a test because you have suspicious symptoms, you should self isolate until a lab run PCR test result results negative. If you're ever told that your test result is, or may be, positive, quarantine immediately and call your medical provider or telemedicine service.
If you are screening for COVID 19 infection using an instant or rapid point of care test, remember, 1 or more infections out of 10 are missed with these tests at the present time.
For general information about CA State COVID-19 resources: see covid19.ca.gov or call 833-422-4255. For community services and support: call 211. For medical emergencies, call 911
Request a Visit
Request our mobile COVID-19 lab testing house call service:
For more information about COVID 19 testing see CDC COVID 19 testing