Buying A CVS STD Test: What You Should Know (2024)

Everyone who is sexually active should get tested for STDs on a regular basis. STD tests are designed to detect certain types of sexually transmitted diseases, including gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, herpes, and HIV. Taking one of these tests in a doctor’s office or clinic can be nerve-wracking. But fortunately, there are other options available, such as an at home HIV test from CVS and other CVS STD test kits. If you are considering visiting a CVS clinic for STD testing, here’s what you need to know about this testing option:

How Can You Get Tested For STDs At CVS?

There are a number of different ways to test for STDs at CVS. In fact, testing kits are available at CVS pharmacies across the country. There are several CVS STD test options, including:

In-store STD/STI exams available at CVS locations with Minute Clinics
At-home STD test kits that can be purchased at CVS
At-home HIV test from CVS

It’s important to understand each of these options so you can determine which one is right for you.

How Does the STD Testing at CVS Minute Clinic Work?

Some CVS locations have their own in-store healthcare clinic, which they’ve branded Minute Clinic. The providers will review your medical history, discuss your symptoms, conduct a physical examination, and order the appropriate STD tests.

A lab will need to evaluate your sample to determine if you have an STD. The provider will need to wait for the results to come back from the third party laboratory before determining if you have tested positive for an STD. This means you will not find out whether or not you have an STD right away.

If you test positive for an STD, the provider can review your treatment options with you and prescribe medication. The provider can also send a summary of your visit to your primary care physician so you can follow up for additional treatment, if necessary.

Does CVS Minute Clinic Do STD Testing At All Locations?

If you are considering getting a STD test at CVS Minute Clinic, it’s important to know that the services offered at these clinics can vary from location-to-location. Furthermore, Minute Clinics are not available in some CVS stores, although they are currently in over 1,100 stores across the country.

Who Performs CVS Minute Clinic STI Testing?

Every Minute Clinic is staffed by certified family nurse practitioners. However, only Minute Clinics in Maryland, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Nevada, Rhode Island, South Carolina, and Texas are staffed by physician assistants. But both nurse practitioners and physician assistants are able to perform STD testing, review STD results, explain your treatment options, and prescribe medications if needed.

How Much Does the In-Store CVS STD Test Cost?

The CVS Minute Clinic STD testing cost will vary based on the number of symptoms or conditions a patient has, and the number of services provided. Most standard visits fall within $100 to $150. Labs, tests and other services may result in additional charges. In total, the CVS Minute Clinic STD test cost can be as high as$300.

Can You Take an STD Test At Home?

Many people find taking a STD test at CVS far more convenient than getting tested at a doctor’s office. But there’s another option available that’s even easier and more convenient: taking a STD test at home.

How Do the CVS Instant STD At Home Tests Work?

In addition to taking an STD test at a Minute Clinic, you also have the option of purchasing an at-home STD test from CVS in-store or online. You should wait at least three weeks from the date of exposure to take this test. If you take an at-home STD test from CVS within the first three weeks following the initial exposure, the results may not be accurate, which means you will need to retest.

The STD/STI tests offered vary in what infection they test for but similarly provide all of the tools you will need to collect a sample and ship it to a lab for testing.

The type of sample you will need to collect will vary depending on the type of STD test you select. You may need to collect a sample of blood, urine, or saliva to perform this at-home test. Be sure to carefully follow the instructions provided in the test kit.

Your sample will be evaluated by a laboratory. If you test positive, a medical professional will contact you by phone to discuss your results and treatment options. A healthcare provider will also be able to prescribe medication to you to treat the STD if necessary. But if you test negative, your results will be sent to you through a password-protected online portal.

How Much Does An At-Home CVS STD Check Testing Kit Cost?

The cost of a CVS STD test will vary depending on the type of STD you are testing for, among other factors. In general, the at-home CVS STD tests will cost between $200 – $300. Your health insurance will not cover the cost of these at-home STD tests.

Does CVS Do STD Testing For HIV?

You can get tested for a number of different STDs at CVS Minute Clinic locations, including HIV. But this isn’t the only way that you can get tested for HIV at CVS. Instead of visiting the CVS Minute Clinic for HIV testing, you can also purchase a rapid HIV test at CVS, which can be used at home.

How Does the At-Home HIV Test From CVS Work?

For HIV testing, CVS offers the OraQuick instant HIV test. This test is designed to detect antibodies that your body produces to fight HIV. If you purchase this test, you can collect a sample and obtain results within 20 minutes. The entire process is completed at home, so you won’t have to ship your sample off to a lab for evaluation.

The testing kit will contain everything you need to collect and test a sample. You will simply need to swipe the test swab along your upper and lower gums to collect a sample of oral fluid. Then, insert the test swab into the test tube provided in your kit.

A brightly colored line will appear on the test tube within a few minutes. This indicates that the test is working. If this is the only line that appears, it means you have tested negative for HIV. But if a second brightly colored line appears below the first one, you have tested positive for HIV. It may take up to 20 minutes for the test to finish processing your results, so do not attempt to read your results until 20 minutes has passed.

How Accurate is the CVS Instant HIV Test?

The saliva HIV tests like the one by OraQuick are very accurate and detect approximately 91.7% of HIV positive patients. It’s important to note that HIV can take up to 7 weeks after exposure before returning positive on a saliva swab. But OraQuick recommends taking the test three months after a “risk event” for the most accurate results. Examples of risk events include:

Sexual intercourse with multiple partners
Sexual intercourse with someone who is or may be HIV positive
Using injected drugs or steroids
Sharing a needle or syringe with someone else

If you test within the first three months after a risk event, your results may not be accurate. It’s best to take another test after three months has passed since the risk event occurred.

OraQuick recommends getting additional testing if you test positive using one of these at-home HIV test kits. This means you should follow up with your healthcare provider to retest and confirm your results.

How Much Does A CVS HIV Test Cost?

The rapid HIV test at CVS can be purchased either in the store or online for $46. But keep in mind that this test only covers testing for HIV, so it will not test for other STDs.

How Does A myLAB Box At Home STD Test Work?

You don’t have to rely on CVS at-home STD tests to check for STDs. There is another option available: myLAB Box at-home STD test kits. Here’s how these tests work:

Order an STD test kit from the myLAB Box website. The packaging is discreet, so your neighbors won’t know that you are receiving an STD test in the mail.
Follow the instructions inside the package to collect your sample. You will need to collect a saliva, blood, or urine sample, depending on the type of test. Everything you need to collect your sample will be included in the test kit. It only takes a few minutes to perform the test.
Ship your sample in using the self-addressed stamped envelope in your testing kit.
You will receive an email once your results are ready, which typically takes between 2 to 5 days. Click on the link in the email to view your results in a secure portal.
You have the option of scheduling a free consultation with a physician to discuss your test results. Use this as an opportunity to discuss your concerns, get your questions answered, and figure out what steps you need to take next.

That’s all it takes to get tested—no doctor’s appointments or trips to the pharmacy required.

How Much Does A myLAB Box At-Home STD Test Cost?

The cost of an at-home STD test from myLAB Box will vary depending on the type of STD test. If you are testing for one type of STD, such as HIV or genital herpes, the test is only $79. However, if you are testing for more than one STD, the cost of the test kit will increase. For example, the at-home 14 panel STD test, which is $369, detects chlamydia, gonorrhea, hepatitis C, HIV, herpes, syphilis, trichom*oniasis, HPV, and mycoplasma genitalium.

At Home or CVS STD Test: Which One is Right For You?

While CVS certainly has many options for HIV or STD/STI testing, myLAB Box can offer anonymous results at a lower price in an efficient and timely manner.

Instant at home tests for HIV are convenient but can miss a positive HIV diagnosis. With the services at myLAB Box you can get a 99.9% accurate result the first time regardless of when you may have been exposed.

myLAB Box uses the same hi-tech technology and laboratories that top hospitals and clinics around the nation have access to. This is why myLAB Box is able to guarantee accuracy and quick results (as fast as 2 to 5 days.) We are able to offer you top quality testing at a fraction of the price compared to clinics. For most, more accurate results are worth waiting a few more days to obtain.

In addition to HIV testing, myLAB Box also offers screening for other STDs/STIs such as HPV, chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes, mycoplasma genitalium and trichom*oniasis. It only takes a few minutes to take a myLAB Box test, so you can do it whenever it is most convenient for you. Plus, you never have to leave the comfort of your own home to get tested.

Many people put off getting tested for STDs because they don’t want to have this uncomfortable conversation with their healthcare provider. But by taking an at-home STD test, you can protect your health without putting yourself in this uncomfortable situation. You won’t need to make an appointment with your doctor or discuss the details of your sexual history—you can take the test on your own terms!

myLAB Box FDA-approved anonymous tests are the best choice when it comes to at home self-testing. We also offer exceptional guidance from telemedicine specialists if you receive positive test results.

When Should You Take An At Home or CVS STD Test?

Many people assume that they don’t need to get tested for STDs unless they exhibit symptoms, but that’s not the case. Most STDs show no symptoms at all, so the only way to know for sure whether or not you have an STD is to be tested. It’s best to get tested if you meet one or more of the following conditions:

You are sexually active and have never been tested before
You have had unprotected sex
You want to have unprotected sex with your partner
You have had multiple partners
You believe your partner has not been monogamous
You know that one of your partners tested positive for an STD

If you are sexually active, experiencing early signs or symptoms of infection, or just want to know if you’ve been exposed, don’t hesitate to get tested. Testing for STDs has never been easier thanks to at-home testing kits, so there’s no reason to put this off any longer. Take control of your sexual health today!

What to Do If Your Results Are Positive After Taking A STD Test At Home

No one ever plans on testing positive for a STD, but it’s important to know what you should do in the event that you find yourself in this situation. If you test positive after taking a myLAB Box at-home STD test, schedule a free phone consultation with a physician to discuss your results and treatment options. During this consultation, the physician can answer your questions, address your concerns, and prescribe medications, if necessary.

If you have tested positive, you will also need to contact your sexual partners to let them know about your results. Encourage them to get tested as soon as possible. This conversation may be uncomfortable and awkward, but having it is the only way to prevent the spread of STDs.

References

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