COVID-19 and flu test kits

Home test kits for COVID-19 and influenza, available at all five pharmacies — and a pharmacist to help you make sense of the result.

Test kits

We stock rapid antigen home test kits for COVID-19 and influenza. You test yourself at home and have a result in about 15 minutes.

Kits are free, or sold to you at what they cost us. Ask at the counter — we do not mark them up, because cost should not be the reason somebody does not test.

We do not perform testing in the pharmacy. If you need a test carried out and reported by a laboratory — for travel, for an employer, or because a prescriber has asked for one — you will need a clinic, an urgent care center or a laboratory. Ask us and we will point you somewhere sensible.

Reading the result properly

• A positive result is reliable. If the test is positive, you very probably have what it says you have.
• A negative result is less certain, particularly in the first day or two. If you have symptoms and test negative, test again after 48 hours before concluding you are clear.
• Follow the instructions exactly. Most false results come from swabbing too briefly, reading too early, or reading too late.
• Check the expiry date — many kits have had their shelf life extended beyond the date printed on the box. Ask us, or check the FDA’s list, before throwing one away.

Why it is worth testing early

Antivirals for both COVID-19 and influenza work best when started within the first days of symptoms. If you are older or managing a health condition, testing early is what keeps that option open — leave it a week and the decision has usually been made for you.

They are prescription medicines, so a positive result is the start of a conversation with your prescriber, not the end of it.

If you test positive

• Contact your prescriber promptly if you are at higher risk. Treatment is time-sensitive.
• Do not come into the pharmacy. Call us. We will arrange free delivery of your prescriptions and anything else you need.
• Ask us about interactions before starting an antiviral.

For current isolation and treatment guidance, see the CDC’s COVID-19 pages.

Vaccination

Separate from testing, our pharmacists do administer vaccines at every store — including COVID-19 and influenza. In Florida you do not need a prescription to be vaccinated at a pharmacy. More about COVID-19 vaccination.