More clinics across Illinois now offering rapid COVID-19 testing

CHICAGO - Quick COVID-19 tests are now more readily available in the Chicago area, even if you are not working on the front lines of this crisis, and testing at one urgent care chain has yielded some interesting results.

Patients are now being examined in their cars at an Orland Park urgent care. If screening reveals COVID-19 symptoms, they will get a quick test with results in minutes.

“People were having to wait 7, 8, 9 days for results - at home with anxiety not knowing if they have it or not,” said Dr. Warren Wollin.

Physicians Immediate Care just expanded testing, offering Abbot's Rapid COVID-19 Test at 34 Illinois clinics to anyone showing symptoms. It is also being offered to exposed healthcare workers and first responders who do not have symptoms.

“A lot of employers are requiring them to have that test before they go back to work again, so it's getting them back to work quicker, on the job,” said Dr. Wollin.

He says most patients testing positive have typical symptoms, while some just had stomach pain or a small cough, but no fever.

More worrying, though, is those with zero symptoms who test positive.

“It's a little scary if you think about it. It's something new. I think this is something that's not going away in a month or two months or three months. It's always going to be there,” Dr. Wollin said.

Testing at these clinics so far shows the majority of people tested don't have COVID-19, and it's illuminated differences between the suburbs and the city with Chicago clearly the hot spot.

“Probably about 40 percent positivity rate in the city right now and it drops down to lower than 10 percent when you get further out into the suburbs,” Dr. Wollin said.

With more testing underway, Doctor Wollin says they'll be able to detect new hots spots if they pop up.