Are you worried that your child might have Covid-19? Does your child have Covid-19 symptoms? Was your child exposed to someone with Covid-19? Do you need to take your child for Covid-19 testing? If you are bringing your child in for a Covid-19 test, I suggest going to a drive-through testing site instead of a walk-in site. It’s safest because you are waiting in your car and you don’t have to expose your child and yourself to other potential Covid-19 patients. Below you will find a list of Covid-19 drive-through testing sites that tests children for Covid-19 in Westchester County (New York) and Fairfield County (Connecticut).
The Basics: Covid-19 Antibody Test vs. Swab Tests
Don’t get confused with the two types of Covid-19 tests. There is the Covid-19 antibody test and there is the Covid-19 Diagnostic test (swab test).
The Covid-19 antibody test looks for antibodies that are made by your immune system. If you have Covid-19 antibodies, that means your body had been infected with Covid-19 before and you have built up antibodies against it. It may take up to 14 days after the onset of symptoms for antibodies to be developed within the body. For now, researchers don’t know how long your immunity to Covid-19 will last if you have Covid-19 antibodies.
The Covid-19 diagnostic test is the test that can show if you have an active coronavirus infection. It basically tells you if you are infected with Covid-19 right now and whether or not you need to quarantine and isolate yourself. If your child was exposed to someone with Covid-19 and you want to know if your child has Covid-19, then you should take your child to get a Covid-19 diagnostic test. Antibody tests should not be used to diagnose COVID-19.
The Covid-19 drive-through testing sites below will conduct Covid-19 diagnostic tests and NOT Covid-19 antibody tests. If you want to know whether or not you have Covid-19 antibodies, you can get a Covid-19 antibody test. Healthlabs offer FDA-authorized Covid-19 antibody tests, they have several lab locations in Westchester County and Fairfield County. You get your results in a few days. They test both children and adults for Covid-19 antibodies. You can order your Covid-19 antibody test online.
Covid-19 Drive-Through Testing Sites That Tests Children in Westchester and Fairfield County
Majority of Covid-19 testing sites in Westchester and Fairfield County are walk-in testing sites. That means, you have to go inside a building and wait in the waiting room with other patients! There are only a few Covid-19 drive-thru testing site sites in Westchester and Fairfield County. Probably the most prevalent Covid-19 drive-thru testing sites in the New York suburbs are the CVS Covid-19 Drive-Thru sites. However, CVS does not test young children for Covid-19, they only start testing children ages 12 and up. Below you will find a list of Covid-19 Drive-Through testing sites that tests Children in Fairfield County (Connecticut) and Westchester County (New York).
- Greenwich Hospital Covid-19 Drive-Through Testing Site at 5 Perryridge Road, Greenwich, CT 06830. Greenwich Hospital requires a doctor’s referral and will test children of all ages. You will need an appointment to get tested.
- CVS Covid-19 Drive-Through Testing Sites various locations in CT, NY. CVS does not require a doctor’s referral but they will only test children 12 years and older. You will need an appointment to get tested.
- Stamford Hospital Covid-19 Drive-Through Testing with multiple testing sites in Stamford, CT. Stamford Hospital requires a doctor’s referral. One of their testing location will test children of all ages and another one will only test children 8 years and old. You will need an appointment to get tested.
- Community Health Center drive-through Covid-19 testing sites in various Connecticut locations such as Stamford, Danbury, Norwalk, New Haven, etc. Community Health Center does not require a doctor’s referral and they will test children of all ages. You don’t need an appointment to get tested, it is first come, first served. Know that the line will be very long and can take a few hours so do plan ahead with snacks and entertainment when bringing your child for testing.
- AFC Urgent Care Covid-19 drive-through Covid-19 Testing sites in various locations in Westchester (Hartsdale, Mt. Vernon, Yorktown Heights) and Fairfield County Connecticut (Stamford, Norwalk). Some locations are Drive-Up and some locations are walk-up, you need to double check. Testing is available for anyone ages 15 years old and up. You need to make an appointment to get tested but you don’t need a doctor’s referral for testing.
- Hartford Healthcare Covid-19 Drive-Through Covid-19 Testing sites in multiple Connecticut locations (Westport, Hartford, Bridgeport, etc.) Testing is available for children of all ages. No appointment needed to get tested so be prepared for long wait times. You may have to wait a few hours to get tested, do plan ahead and bring snacks and entertain for your child in the car.
- Murphy Medical Associates Covid-19 Drive-Through Covid-19 testing sites in Westchester (Pound Ridge, NY) and Connecticut (Greenwich, Stratford, West Haven and New Haven). Testing is available for children of all ages. You need to make an appointment to get tested.
- Urgent Care of New York and Urgent Care of Westchester drive-through Covid-19 testing locations in Tarrytown, Thornwood, New City and Yonkers. Testing is available for children of all ages. You need to make an appointment to get tested.
- Westchester Medical Center (WMC Health) drive-through Covid-19 testing location in Valhalla. You need to make an appointment to get tested.
How to Prepare for Covid-19 Drive-Through Testing with Kids
With Covid-19 cases rising in the New York suburbs, you will find long wait times at Covid-19 Drive-Through testing sites. Even if you have an appointment, expect to wait for your turn. It is not uncommon to wait for a few hours just to get tested. Take that into account before you go, you don’t want to get stuck with a cranky, hungry child! Here are some advice on how to stay safe and how to prepare for your child’s Drive-Through Covid-19 testing.
- When you are in the car with your child, make sure you are both wearing your masks. Keep your masks on at all times while in the car. This is a precaution you must take just in case your child is Covid-19 positive, you don’t want to get infected while sitting in the car for hours with your child. You should also keep all windows open while you wait in the car to increase airflow, otherwise you will both be breathing stale air.
- Expect to wait a few hours in the car, so bring plenty of snacks and/or lunch. Don’t forget to bring water for everyone.
- You know your child will get bored waiting in the car. Bring books, devices, toys that you can give to your child so he/she can stay entertained.
- Do bring hand sanitizers in the car. You will need your hand sanitizers before and after eating or when touching shared surfaces.
- If possible, leave other siblings at home. Don’t bring everyone in the car because this will increase the risk of Covid-19 exposure to siblings in case your child is Covid-19 positive.
- Maintain social distance with your child. Don’t let your child sit in front even if that is his/her usual seat. You need to keep distance in case your child is Covid-19 positive.
Preparing for your child’s drive-through Covid-19 testing is essential. And don’t forget to follow the basic social distancing rules, hand washing hygiene and mask wearing at all times- even in the car!
Was your child exposed to someone with Covid-19? Here are tips on how to safely quarantine your child.
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