COVID-19 testing

• If you have signs or symptoms of COVID-19 get tested as early as possible regardless of vaccination status. Do not go to a hospital emergency room or urgent care center to be tested.
• If you are exposed to someone who has COVID-19 (within 6 feet of the person for 15 minutes or more over a 24-hour period) seek testing 5 days after exposure regardless of vaccination status. If symptoms develop, do not wait 5 days and get tested immediately, or consider retesting if you have already been tested. See the Isolation & Quarantine page for detailed guidance.
• If asked to by your school, workplace, healthcare provider, state, or local health department.
• After travel all travelers should get tested regardless of vaccination status if travel involved situations with greater risk of exposure such as being in crowded places while not wearing a well-fitting mask.

There are two main types of tests that can tell if you have COVID-19:

• Antigen (self-tests)
• Molecular (PCR or NAAT test)

1. You can get antigen and PCR/NAAT tests through a healthcare provider, clinic, test site, or lab.

Find a free or low-cost testing site, clinic or lab in King County. You will be asked to provide your ID and insurance card (if you have insurance), but it is not required to be tested.

2. You can also do an antigen test at home. These are called at-home, over-the-counter, or rapid self-tests. Antigen tests can be purchased at a pharmacy, retailer, or online. If you have health insurance, it will cover 8 home tests per person each month (contact your insurer directly).

Or request free rapid test kits here:

• Department of Health – www.sayyescovidhometest.org or 1-800-525-0127
• Federal government – www.covidtests.gov or 1-800-232-0233

If you are at high risk for being hospitalized for COVID, it is important to getting tested soon and treated early. Oral antiviral pills or other treatment options may lower the chances of your illness getting worse if taken within 5 days of symptoms. There is no cost for treatment regardless of insurance or immigration status.

Here are three ways to receive treatment:

1. Speak to your healthcare provider first. Your provider can give you a prescription that can be filled at participating pharmacies or anywhere antivirals are available.
2. Schedule a telehealth appointment through Department of Health. If you do not have a health care provider or cannot be seen within 48 hours, contact Washington State Department of Health at 1–800–525–0127, then press # or go to doh.wa.gov/Covid19Telehealth to schedule a free telehealth appointment, available in 240 languages. Patients without the ability to have a video visit can have a phone visit. If you have already been tested, you may bring your test result from an at-home (antigen) test or a testing site to your telehealth visit. The test should be taken in the treatment window within 5 days of the onset of symptoms.
3. Visit a Test to Treat clinic to receive testing and treatment in one visit. To find a clinic, enter your zip code into the Test to Treat locator or call 1-800-232-0233 (TTY 888-720-7489) to get help in English, Spanish and more than 150 other languages.

If your test is positive:

• You most likely have COVID-19, even if you don’t have symptoms
• You don’t have to confirm the result by going to a lab, clinic, or testing site
• You do not need another test to seek treatment

What to do:

• Isolate for 5 days. Continue to wear a mask around others for five additional days after leaving isolation.
• If you are at higher risk from the disease, ask your healthcare provider or visit a Test to Treat clinic (available in English, Spanish, and Chinese) to ask about early treatment options.
• Tell your close contacts and household members you have tested positive.
• Notify your employer or school. See more about support for workers.
• Report rapid test results to Washington State Department of Health by calling 1-800-525-0127 and pressing # (press #7 for Spanish or speak the language you need when the call is connected).
• If you need food or other assistance while isolating or quarantining, visit Care Connect Washington or call or text the program hotline, 1-833-453-0336.
• Answer the call or text from contact tracing. Your phone will identify the caller as "WA Health."

UW Medicine – Boeing*

Curative walk-up sites

*These sites provide free testing to those who are uninsured

UW Medicine*

*These sites provide free testing to those who are uninsured

Altius – Federal Way Aquatics Center*

Curative walk-up sites

*These sites provide free testing to those who are uninsured

UW Medicine*

Curative walk-up sites

SeaMar Community Health Centers

*These sites provide free testing to those who are uninsured

Atlas – Renton testing site*

*These sites provide free testing to those who are uninsured

UW Medicine* (multiple locations)

Curative walk-up sites (multiple locations)

The Polyclinic (multiple locations)

Increasing Community Access to Testing (ICATT)

Testing to Treat clinics

*These sites provide free testing to those who are uninsured

Altius – Church by the Side of the Road*

*These sites provide free testing to those who are uninsured

SeaMar Community Health Centers (multiple locations)

Snoqualmie Valley Hospital* (Snoqualmie)

Vashon BePrepared (Vashon Island)

Increasing Community Access to Testing (ICATT) (multiple locations)

Test to Treat clinics (multiple locations)

*These sites provide free testing to those who are uninsured