Updated Jan. 7

Worried that cough might be something more than a cold? Not able to smell your morning coffee anymore? It might be time for a COVID-19 test. From county locations to pharmacies, demand may be up, but there are still opportunities to get tested.

Department of Health partnerships. All Department of Health testing locations provide testing at no cost:

The Volusia County Fairgrounds (3150 E. New York Ave., DeLand)

9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays.

Appointments can be made online the day prior to testing at www.myfhs.org.

Appointments are required at this drive-thru site.

Curative Inc.,  Operating at Daytona International Speedway (1801 W International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach)

8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday

Appointments are recommended and can be made at curative.com or 888-702-9042; walk-ups will be accommodated.

Nomi Health, Operating at Dewey O. Boster Sports Complex (1200 Saxon Blvd., Deltona)

7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday

Appointments are recommended and can be made at http://testing.nomihealth.com/signup/fl; walk-ups will be accommodated.

Nomi Health, Operating at New Smyrna Beach City Gym (1000 Live Oak St., New Smyrna Beach)

8 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Appointments are recommended and can be made at http://testing.nomihealth.com/signup/fl; walk-ups will be accommodated.

The Florida Department of Health in Volusia County

• 1845 Holsonback Drive, Daytona Beach
• 775 Harley Strickland Blvd., Suite 110, Orange City

PCR testing is available by appointment for symptomatic individuals and people who have been exposed to COVID-19. Appointments are required and can be made at 386-274-0500.

More testing sites may be added soon, Department of Health spokesperson Ethan Johnson told The Beacon Dec. 28. Click HERE for more testing sites across Florida.

Area pharmacies including CVS and Walgreens continue to offer COVID-19 testing at no cost. Clinics including AdventHealth Centra Care and Family Health Source also provide COVID-19 testing. Family Health Source COVID-19 testing comes at no cost for individuals who are presenting symptoms.

Many pharmacies also stock rapid COVID-19 test kits that retail from $20 to $30. PCR, or polymerase chain reaction, COVID-19 tests are better at detecting active infections, but rapid tests, while not as accurate, provide faster results.

Vaccinations

In early 2021, COVID-19 vaccinations were hard to come by, but with an increased supply and more than 60 percent of the eligible population of Volusia County already vaccinated, it’s not too hard to get an appointment nowadays.

Three COVID-19 vaccines are available to the general public age 5 and up. The Pfizer MRNA COVID-19 vaccine is a two-shot series — now including a recommended booster shot at least six months after the second dose — available to people age 5 and up. The Moderna MRNA COVID-19 vaccine is a two-shot series — now including a recommended booster shot at least six months after the second dose — available to people age 18 and up. The Johnson & Johnson COVID-19 vaccine is a single shot viral vector inoculation. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention now recommends a booster dose of an MRNA vaccine at least two months after receiving a Johnson & Johnson vaccination.

Vaccines are offered weekly by the Department of Health in Volusia County at all four office locations. Please schedule an appointment by calling 386-274-0500. Vaccinations are available at the following Department of Health locations:

• 421 S. Keech St., Daytona Beach
• 1845 Holsonback Drive, Daytona Beach
• 717 W. Canal St., New Smyrna Beach
• 775 Harley Strickland Blvd., Orange City

Vaccines are free to all. Patients are asked to bring their photo ID. For more information, call 386-275-0500 or visit www.volusia.org/services/public-protection/emergency-management/pin/coronavirus.

Area pharmacies continue to provide COVID-19 vaccinations, including CVS, Walgreens, Winn-Dixie, Publix and more. For a complete list of locations providing COVID-19 vaccinations, visit www.vaccines.gov.

Monoclonal antibody treatment

From the Florida Department of Health website, “Monoclonal antibody treatments can prevent severe illness, hospitalization and death in high-risk patients who have contracted or been exposed to COVID-19.”

The treatment is available at no cost regardless of whether a patient has a prescription or has received a COVID-19 vaccine.

There are no Florida Department of Health monoclonal antibody sites in Volusia County, but nearby counties, including Orange and Brevard, have sites. For a full list, click HERE. For other sites offering the treatment, visit the National Infusion Center Association, HERE.

Frequently asked questions, with answers from the Florida Department of Health in Volusia County

Q: What do I do if I test positive for COVID-19?

A: If you test positive for COVID-19 you should:

• Monitor your symptoms. If you have an emergency warning sign (including trouble breathing), seek emergency medical care immediately.
• Stay in a separate room from other household members, if possible.
• Use a separate bathroom, if possible.
• Avoid contact with other members of the household and pets.
• Don’t share personal household items, like cups, towels and utensils.
• Wear a mask when around other people if able.

If you test positive for COVID-19 and never develop symptoms, day 0 is the day of your positive viral test (based on the date you were tested) and day 1 is the first full day after your positive test. If you develop symptoms after testing positive, your 5-day isolation period must start over. Day 0 is your first day of symptoms. Day 1 is the first full day after your symptoms developed.

Q: How do I know which variant of COVID-19 I have?

A: For the most part, you will not know whether you have tested positive for a specific variant. Viruses constantly change through mutation, and sometimes these mutations result in a new variant of the virus. Some variants emerge and disappear, while others persist. Most tests will not reveal to you which variant you have; however the measures used to protect those around you after you have tested positive are the same regardless of the variant. The dominant variant is currently omicron.

Q: Can I still get COVID-19 if I am vaccinated? 

A: Yes, current vaccines are expected to protect against severe illness, hospitalizations, and deaths due to infection with the omicron variant. However, breakthrough infections in people who are fully vaccinated are likely to occur. With other variants, like delta, vaccines have remained effective at preventing severe illness, hospitalizations, and death. The recent emergence of omicron further emphasizes the importance of vaccination and boosters.

Q: Do I need to quarantine if I have COVID-19 but I am vaccinated?

A: People who test positive should isolate for 5 days regardless of vaccination status. If they are asymptomatic at that time, they may leave isolation if they can continue to mask for 5 days to minimize the risk of infecting others. Isolation relates to behavior after a confirmed infection. This is different from quarantine.

Quarantine refers to the time following exposure to the virus or close contact with someone known to have COVID-19. If an individual has received a booster dose, completed the primary series of Pfizer or Moderna vaccine within the past 6 months, or has completed the primary series of J&J within the past two months, they do not need to quarantine. If they have not, they should quarantine for 5 days and continue to wear a mask around others for 5 additional days. If they cannot quarantine, they must wear a mask for 10 days. They should test on day 5 if possible.

For more information about COVID-19 in Florida and Volusia County, as well as the number of cases in the area, visit the Florida Department of Health website, HERE. COVID-19 case numbers and vaccination statistics are reported every Friday.