Rapid PCR test for COVID-19

Vanderbilt Health Walk-In Clinics and Vanderbilt Health Clinic at Walgreens locations offer rapid PCR testing for COVID-19. PCR tests are the most accurate at detecting active COVID-19 cases in both symptomatic and asymptomatic people.

NOTE: Rapid COVID tests are available at the locations stated above. Walk-Ins and Vanderbilt Health Clinic at Walgreens are not general testing sites, but for those with symptoms that may be COVID-related.

For more information about COVID-19 testing options, visit https://www.vumc.org/coronavirus/what-know-about-covid-19-testing-vumc.

The Liat device we use is one of the most accurate for COVID-19 available in the world, yet it can give results for both viruses in just 20 minutes maximum. It is also used in the Vanderbilt main lab. For this flu season, we have a combination COVID-19/ Flu A / Flu B test. We prioritize testing of symptomatic patients. Depending on supplies, we can also test asymptomatic people.

Some rapid COVID-19 tests have false negative results up to 25 to 50 percent of the time and also have high false positive rates. With our test, there is less than a 1-percent chance of getting a false negative and a very low chance of a false positive result. Our rapid test has the same accuracy as the gold-standard COVID-19 tests used in the main Vanderbilt lab.