As COVID-19 case counts continue to increase in North Carolina after the holidays, many people may find themselves scrambling to find a testing site in Chatham County.
With several types of testing available to the public — ranging from at-home testing options to administered tests — here’s a list of locations in Chatham County offering free COVID tests. Some locations across the county offer both rapid and PCR testing; rapid testing offers results in 15 minutes but are not as accurate as the PCR tests, which come back with results in one to two days.
• Avance Care - South Chapel Hill: This testing location at 98 Chapelton Court, Suite 310, in Chapel Hill offers testing daily from 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. Testing is free for insured individuals at this location, but uninsured are charged $160. All ages are able to be tested at Avance Care, and they offer both rapid and PCR tests. You can schedule an appointment by calling 919-590-9005.
• CVS Pharmacy: CVS Pharmacy — located at 11314 U.S. Hwy. 15-501 N. in Chapel Hill — offers COVID testing daily from 8 p.m. to 9 p.m. This location offers free testing with insurance or with a federal program. While they don’t offer rapid testing, this CVS location does offer PCR testing. You can go to the CVS website to schedule your appointment online.
• StarMed Healthcare - Goldston Town Hall: COVID testing is available at Goldston Town Hall, 40 Coral Ave. This location only tests on Wednesdays from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. This location offers free rapid and PCR testing, regardless of insurance status. You can register for a COVID test at this location by going to the StarMed website.
• Moncure Community Health Center: Located at 7228 Moncure-Pittsboro Rd., this location offers testing on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays from 8:20 a.m. to 9:20 a.m. It is free for everyone, regardless of insurance status. This location does not offer rapid testing, but does offer PCR tests. You can register for this testing location by calling 919-545-3452.
• Optum Health - Old Chatham County Agriculture Building: This testing location at 65 E. Chatham St. offers testing Monday through Friday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Testing is free for everyone, and this location offers PCR and rapid tests. You can register at the Optum website.
• StarMed Healthcare - Central Carolina Community College Pittsboro campus: This location operates on Thursdays from noon to 4 p.m. StarMed offers free rapid and PCR testing to everyone, regardless if they are insured or not. You can make your appointment at the StarMed website.
• Pine Ridge Urgent Care: This testing location offers both PCR and rapid COVID tests daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is free for those with insurance, but the uninsured will have to pay $180 for rapid tests and $220 for PCR tests. You can schedule an appointment by calling 919-542-4450.
• Walgreens Pharmacy: Walgreens offers both rapid and PCR testing daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is free to get tested at Walgreens, but the lab processing the COVID tests may bill insurance. You can call the Pittsboro Walgreens — located at 321 East St. — at 919-541-1661.
• Optum Health - Chatham Hospital Medical Office Building: Free rapid and PCR testing is available at this location on 163 Medical Park Dr. The location is open Monday through Friday from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. You can register to get tested at the Optum website.
• StarMed Healthcare - Central Carolina Community College Siler City campus: Free COVID testing is available at the CCCC campus in Siler City on Mondays from noon until 4 p.m. You can register for a test at the StarMed website.
• Central Piedmont Urgent Care: This location at 101 Walmart Supercenter offers rapid and PCR testing Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. This location provides free testing with proof of insurance or proof of ID. You can call 919-663-3911 for pre-screening and scheduling an appointment.
• CVS Pharmacy: The CVS on 1506 E. 11th St. offers PCR testing daily from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. COVID testing at CVS is free with insurance or through federal programs. You can schedule an appointment by going to the CVS website.
• Walgreens Pharmacy: The Walgreens at 1523 E. 11th St. offers COVID testing daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Both rapid tests and PCR tests are available at this location and are free. You can call 919-663-2040 to schedule an appointment.
Reporter Taylor Heeden can be reached at theeden@chathamnr.com.