DELTONA, Fla. — With testing in such high demand, people are turning to local clinics to get their COVID-19 test, even if that means paying out of pocket for them.

What You Need To Know

  • With students and workers returning after the holiday break, wait times at free test sites may reach 3-4 hours

  • Local clinics can offer faster tests and results – for a price

  • “People pay for comfort,” Harmony Clinic medical director Lester Carrero said

Harmony Clinic in Deltona is offering $75 rapid testing in Volusia County. 

“People pay for comfort,” Harmony Clinic medical director Lester Carrero said.

The clinic has distributed COVID tests since they first became available two years ago.

As cases continue to spread, the office has also seen an increase in demand for testing.

“We try to do it as quick and fast as possible,” Carrero said.

For Carrero, the service he’s offering is all about convenience. Clients get their test results back within 10-15 minutes. 

Wait times at Dewey O. Booster Park have consistently risen because of the demand for tests, and those who waited in line could feel the fatigue kicking in.

“I’ve been out here since 7:15 this morning,” said Sonia Oquendo, who was one of several hundred people who patiently waited in their car for a test Monday.

She’s trying to go back to work and her kids are going back to school. 

After mild symptoms, they just needed a negative test to let them know how they should plan for the week.

“It’s very ridiculous to be here waiting for so long," she said. "I think two hours would be fairer.”

The site was so busy that gates had to be closed before noon.

With a return to school and work after the holiday break, wait times may push 3-4 hours all week, something Carrero is well aware of. It’s an opportunity for his clinic to step up and help with the demand.

“We’re trying to give our community the best care possible,” he said.