What You Need to Know about Rapid COVID-19 Testing at South Shore Health

As August begins, demand for COVID-19 testing is on the rise in Massachusetts. 

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is now under a new travel order that requires visitors and Massachusetts residents returning from most states to either self-quarantine for 14 days, or produce a negative COVID-19 test result that has been administered up to 72-hours prior to your arrival in Massachusetts.

At the same time, parents of college students are dealing with tough decisions around heading back to campus during a pandemic. Many students and universities plan to return to some version of in-person instruction, with some colleges and universities requiring students to show proof of a negative COVID-19 test within a certain time frame, usually 2-5 days, before returning to campus. 

And there is ongoing demand for tests from patients with symptoms of COVID-19.

Due to nationwide shortages in testing supplies and backlogs in testing labs, finding a COVID-19 test site that provides fast results can be tough.

South Shore Health is not immune to these challenges. Kristopher Young, Chief Pharmacy Officer and Executive Director Laboratory Services at South Shore Health, recently spoke to The Patriot Ledger about these testing shortages and how tests are prioritized at South Shore Health.

Rapid COVID-19 Testing at Health Express

This information was updated on December 8, 2020.

South Shore Health’s urgent care, Health Express, is working tirelessly to find supplies of COVID-19 tests that provide timely results for our patients.

Health Express offers both a send-out PCR test that provides results via to Quest Diagnostics' secure portal within an estimated 72 hours and a limited number of rapid Abbott tests, which provide results in 15 minutes. 

Please visit our COVID-19 page for full details on testing.

Click the button at the top of the Health Express homepage to schedule test.

We are working to support as many patients as possible as the demand for testing grows, and we’re grateful to our community for their patience.

Learn more about South Shore Health’s response to COVID-19.