Flu test near me in Covington, LA? Here at Total Health Urgent Care, we swab for flu right in our office, Suite A at 73015 Hwy 25, and on our urgent care services page the flu entry reads “Rapid swab testing,” with medication “prescribed if needed.” Walk in between 7AM and 7PM any day, weekends included, since the Total Health home page says no appointment is needed. COVID and RSV tests happen on site too, per that services page.
Flu testing in Covington at a glance
- The test: a rapid flu swab, plus on-site rapid COVID testing and on-site RSV testing, per our services page.
- The hours: daily from 7AM until 7PM, Saturdays and Sundays too, per the Total Health home page.
- The price: self-pay office visits cost $130, a fee that, per the pricing and insurance page, covers exams and referrals, plus any prescribing of medication, and that page says most major insurance plans are accepted.
- The timing: the MedlinePlus Flu (Influenza) Test page says flu antivirals work best when you start taking them within 2 days after feeling sick.
- The emergency rule: for a medical emergency, call 911.
Is flu season already here in Louisiana?
Yes, according to a TODAY report on the early 2026-2027 flu season, published October 25, 2026, which says the 2026-2027 season “appears to be off to an early and strong start,” and that “two states, Louisiana and Hawaii, are already reporting moderate levels.” The same TODAY report says 5.7% of flu tests came back positive during the week ending Oct. 17, versus a weekly rate under 1% at the same point last year, citing a CDC surveillance dashboard. That TODAY report also says influenza A H1N1 is fueling the vast majority of U.S. cases so far.
For the bigger calendar, the MedlinePlus Flu (Influenza) Test page says U.S. flu season can begin as early as October and end as late as May.
What kind of flu test does Total Health use?
Total Health uses a rapid swab test done on site, according to our services page, which lists flu care as rapid swab testing and includes flu in its lab testing line of Many CLIA waived on site testing, next to CBG, strep, RSV, urinalysis, H. pylori, mono, and pregnancy. That page doesn’t say whether the rapid flu test is an antigen test or a molecular one, so ask at check-in if you’d like to know.
You’ll spot the phrase CLIA waived on that services page, so here’s the short version. CLIA is short for the Clinical Laboratory Improvement Amendments, and the FDA CLIA Categorizations page says FDA sorts clinical lab tests by complexity, “from the least to the most complex: waived tests, moderate complexity tests, and high complexity tests.” The law quoted on the FDA CLIA Waiver by Application page covers two kinds of waived tests: ones FDA has approved for home use, and simple laboratory examinations and procedures with “an insignificant risk of an erroneous result”.
Rapid flu test vs. PCR: how the test types compare
Here’s a side-by-side we pieced together from the MedlinePlus Flu (Influenza) Test page. MedlinePlus doesn’t publish this chart itself, so every cell credits the page its fact came from.
Table source: MedlinePlus Flu (Influenza) Test page.
How wide is the accuracy gap? The Infectious Diseases Society of America 2018 influenza guideline cites pooled sensitivities of 54% and 53% for rapid antigen tests detecting influenza A and B, compared with 92% and 95% for rapid molecular assays, and pooled specificities of 99% for both. That fits what the MedlinePlus test page says: false positives are very uncommon, but you may need more testing after a negative, especially if your first test was a rapid antigen flu test.
How long does a rapid flu test take?
Looking for a rapid flu test near me because you want answers fast? Results can come back in less than 30 minutes, since the MedlinePlus Flu (Influenza) Test page says rapid antigen tests “can provide results in less than 30 minutes” and rapid molecular tests “can provide results in under 30 minutes.” The test itself is quick too, because Cleveland Clinic’s Flu Test article says “The test typically takes less than five minutes.” The IDSA guideline says rapid antigen tests “rapidly (<15 minutes) provide results.”
Swab styles vary, per Cleveland Clinic’s Flu Test article, which says a provider swipes fluid from your nasal walls, or can swab the deepest part of your nose instead. For that deeper version, the MedlinePlus page says a health care professional inserts a long swab into your nostril until it reaches the upper part of your throat, then rotates it for 10 to 15 seconds. If your throat or nose is swabbed, that page says, you may feel a gagging sensation or a tickle, and it calls these effects temporary. The MedlinePlus test page also says no special preparation is needed for a nasopharyngeal swab.
When should you get a flu test after symptoms start?
As early as you can, ideally in the first few days, because the IDSA influenza guideline tells clinicians to collect specimens from outpatients “as soon after illness onset as possible, preferably within 4 days of symptom onset”. That IDSA guideline also notes that in immunocompetent outpatients, especially older children and adults, samples collected more than 3 to 4 days after illness onset “may yield negative results because of substantially decreased influenza viral shedding”.
Treatment timing points the same way, according to the MedlinePlus flu test guide, which says antivirals work best when started within 2 days after feeling sick, “So early testing may be important, especially if you have a high risk of getting seriously ill from the flu.” A 2026 American Family Physician review of influenza, in the October 2026 issue, says “Antiviral treatment is most effective if taken within 24 to 36 hours of symptom onset and reduces symptoms by approximately 20 hours”. That same AFP review adds that there is little to no evidence that it reduces complications of influenza.
How do you know it might be flu? The MedlinePlus Flu encyclopedia article says flu symptoms often start quickly, and that the first symptom is often “a fever between 100°F (37.8°C) and 104°F (40°C) that comes on suddenly”. It adds that “not everyone with the flu has a fever.” Other common symptoms on that MedlinePlus list:
- Body aches
- Chills
- Headache
- Lack of energy
- Cough
- Runny or stuffy nose
- Sneezing
- Sore throat
- Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea (more common in children)
Not every case needs a swab, though. The MedlinePlus test page says “If the flu is widespread in your area, your provider may be able to diagnose you without a test.”
Who should get a flu test quickly?
It’s important to understand your risk of serious illness from the flu before you get sick, the MedlinePlus Flu (Influenza) Test page says, and it lists a higher risk of serious flu complications for people who:
- Are age 65 and older
- Are younger than age 5 (especially those younger than 2 years old)
- Have a chronic health condition, such as asthma, blood disorders, diabetes, lung diseases, metabolic disorders, obesity, conditions that affect the heart, kidneys, liver, or nervous system, and diseases that weaken the immune system
The main MedlinePlus Flu page also lists pregnant women among the people more likely to have complications. The reason to know ahead of time, in the words of the MedlinePlus test page: “That way you know if you need to contact your provider at the first sign of symptoms.”
Flu and COVID test near me: can one visit check for both?
Yes, Total Health lists both on its services page: COVID antigen testing, send-off PCR, and on-site rapid COVID testing, plus the rapid flu swab, with RSV in its lab testing list. The page doesn’t say whether any of those run as one combination swab, so ask your provider which test fits your symptoms. Scratchy throat too? Strep throat gets an on-site rapid throat swab, per that same services page.
Why check for more than one virus? The MedlinePlus flu testing page says “It’s possible to have more than one respiratory virus at the same time.” It also says “Providers treat seasonal flu, COVID-19, and RSV with different antiviral medicines.” Our COVID testing guide for Covington goes deeper on rapid vs. PCR COVID tests.
What does a positive or negative flu test mean?
A positive result most likely means flu, while a negative one doesn’t rule it out, per the MedlinePlus Flu (Influenza) Test page. That page says “A positive result means you most likely have the seasonal flu”. For a negative, it says “the flu can’t be ruled out” because the result could be a false negative. The 2026 American Family Physician review agrees: “a negative rapid test result does not exclude influenza.”
Tested positive? The MedlinePlus test page says “It’s important to limit your contact with others to keep from infecting them.” The Virginia Department of Health influenza fact sheet says “People with flu are most contagious in the first three to four days of their illness”. It adds that some people can spread it from a day before symptoms show up until five to seven days into the illness. The MedlinePlus test page says usual activities can resume once two things have held for at least 24 hours: symptoms keep improving, and there’s been no fever without the help of fever-reducing medicine. Our flu treatment guide covers antivirals, rest, and fluids in more detail.
Can an at-home flu and COVID test replace a clinic visit?
Not entirely, according to MedlinePlus, which says rapid antigen tests you can do at home aren’t as accurate as other types of flu tests (MedlinePlus Flu (Influenza) Test page). Home options are real, though. In October 2024, the FDA authorized marketing of the first home flu and COVID-19 combination test outside of emergency use authorities, the Healgen Rapid Check COVID-19/Flu A&B Antigen Test, and that release says it can “deliver at-home results in approximately 15 minutes for COVID-19 and influenza (flu).” If you have negative test results and flu-like symptoms, the MedlinePlus test page says to ask your provider what you should do next.
How much does a flu test cost in Covington without insurance?
Self-pay office visits at Total Health cost $130, with exams, referrals, and medication prescribing included, and the pricing and insurance page doesn’t show a separate flu test charge. It’s recommended that self-pay patients who want a precise number call ahead, since the clinic’s service list is a long one, per that same pricing page.
Paying with a health plan? Most major ones are welcome, and Total Health can send the bill straight to the insurance company, according to that pricing page. Your co-pay comes from your insurance provider and usually appears on your card, the pricing page notes, so bring your primary card plus any secondary one. Not sure whether your benefits cover a visit here? Contact your insurance company, as that page advises.
Which urgent care near me tests for flu on weekends?
Total Health does, on Hwy 25 in Covington, and the Total Health home page keeps one schedule all week, 7AM to 7PM, weekends too. Yes, Sundays! That page puts the clinic close to the Hwy 190 and Hwy 25 corner, a little north of downtown Covington, and says Total Health welcomes patients from Folsom, Abita Springs, Mandeville, Madisonville, St Benedict, Franklinton, and Covington itself, and across St. Tammany Parish. Our urgent care in Covington page lists flu testing and flu shots, and says walk-ins are welcome.
What should a good flu-testing spot near Covington offer? Here’s our checklist, and how Total Health stacks up:
- Testing on site: a rapid flu swab, plus COVID and RSV tests, all listed on our services page.
- No appointment: the home page says you can walk in on any day and be seen.
- Weekend hours that match weekdays: 7AM to 7PM, 7 days a week, also on the home page.
- A posted cash price: $130 self-pay visits, listed on our pricing page.
- Treatment in the same stop: the services page says flu medication is prescribed if needed.
When is flu an emergency instead of an urgent care visit?
Call 911 for a medical emergency. ACEP, the American College of Emergency Physicians, flags these adult warning signs on its flu warning signs page:
- Seizures
- Trouble breathing, or feeling short of breath
- Chronic medical conditions getting worse
- Severe muscle pain
- Not urinating
- Chest or abdominal pain or pressure that persists
- A fever or cough that seems to improve, then comes back or gets worse
- Severe weakness or unsteadiness
- Confusion, dizziness that won’t let up, or a person who can’t be roused
The ACEP page keeps a separate list for children, including bluish lips or face and fever above 104°F, and it says “This is not an exhaustive list.”
Flu test near me: quick questions from Northshore patients
Usually under 30 minutes for results. The MedlinePlus Flu (Influenza) Test page says rapid antigen and rapid molecular tests can both give results in under 30 minutes, and Cleveland Clinic’s Flu Test article says the test itself typically takes less than five minutes.
Yes, Sunday included. Total Health Urgent Care’s home page lists 7AM to 7PM hours every day of the week, weekends too, and says you don’t need an appointment. Its services page shows rapid swab flu testing.
Yes. The MedlinePlus Flu (Influenza) Test page says it’s possible to have more than one respiratory virus at the same time, and that providers treat seasonal flu, COVID-19, and RSV with different antiviral medicines. Total Health tests for all three on site, according to its services page.
Not always. The 2018 IDSA influenza guideline says confirmation of influenza by diagnostic testing is not required for decisions to prescribe antiviral medication, and the MedlinePlus Flu (Influenza) Test page notes a provider may diagnose flu without a test when it’s widespread. Total Health’s flu care, per its services page, includes medication prescribed if needed.
No. Total Health doesn’t list a free flu test. Its pricing and insurance page sets self-pay office visits at $130, with exams, referrals, and prescribing included, and the clinic accepts most major insurance plans. On that page, the free item is physicals for student athletes, for school and sports.
Yes, it can. The MedlinePlus Flu (Influenza) Test page says false positives are very uncommon, while a negative result could still be a false negative. If you test negative but still have flu-like symptoms, MedlinePlus suggests asking your provider what to do next.
It can be uncomfortable, but only briefly. Cleveland Clinic’s Flu Test article says having your nose or throat swabbed can feel uncomfortable and might make you gag or cough, and that the feeling is brief and goes away quickly.
Driving in from Abita Springs or Madisonville? Set your map app for 73015 Hwy 25 in Covington (that’s Suite A, ZIP 70435), by the Hwy 190 junction. Our contact page shows 7 AM to 7 PM hours seven days a week. Got a question first? Ring (985) 400-5370.
This flu test explainer is part of Total Health Urgent Care News, where our Covington, Louisiana clinic shares health information, updates from the clinic, and urgent care news. It’s meant as general health information for Northshore readers, so it can’t stand in for personal medical advice. The About page lists the owner: meet Jennifer Duncan, APRN, MSN, FNP-C, your Covington nurse practitioner. Our home page adds that she founded Total Health, bringing more than 25 years in emergency medicine and urgent care to the clinic. Facing an emergency? Call 911.