Mercy is rolling out rapid testing for COVID-19 at some of its urgent care centers as cases continue to skyrocket in St. Louis.

Mercy-GoHealth Urgent Care is making rapid COVID-19 testing available at all locations starting today. Unlike COVID-19 diagnostic tests that must be sent to a reference lab for processing, rapid COVID-19 testing determines if a patient is positive for COVID-19 in approximately 15 minutes.

However, not all Mercy Urgent Care locations are Mercy-Go Health locations. The one at 12348 Old Tesson Road will not have rapid testing, but the location at 5640C Telegraph Road at Dierbergs Plaza in Oakville will have the rapid testing. The Mercy-Go Health Urgent Care location at 10700 Manchester Road in Kirkwood will also have rapid testing available.

To receive a Rapid COVID-19 test, you must schedule a Virtual Visit or save your spot online to be evaluated by a provider for testing at a nearby center. Please note: due to limited supply, walk-in patients will not be offered Rapid COVID-19 testing.

Mercy-GoHealth Urgent Care centers are open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday and from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday, including holidays. Mercy is in-network with most major insurance plans, but the hospital system notes that rapid testing may not be covered. For patients without health insurance, the system says it offers affordable self-pay rates. Learn more about the conditions Mercy treats, save your spot, pre-register, and view a full list of in-network insurance plans by visiting  https://www.gohealthuc.com/st-louis.

“Mercy-GoHealth Urgent Care understands the important role time plays in preventing the spread of COVID-19 and is dedicated to being part of the solution,” the hospital system said in a news release. “Rapid testing is a critical component in keeping our communities safe and healthy as it enables patients to quickly quarantine and inform others who may have been exposed.” 

“Mercy-GoHealth Urgent Care is dedicated to providing the very best quality of care for our patients in our collective fight to stop the spread of COVID-19 in our St. Louis communities,” said Sherry Buebendorf, market president for Mercy-GoHealth Urgent Care. “The fast results produced by the Abbott ID NOW molecular test will allow patients testing negative the peace of mind to return to work, attend school and engage in other important essential activities.”