ZEPHYRHILLS, Fla. — Rapid COVID-19 tests are rolling out across the Bay area, with results promised in a matter of minutes.

Jonelle Washington, owner of Labs to Go in Zephyrhills, said since Tuesday she has administered more than two dozen tests.  

“We do a finger stick and it takes no more than 10 minutes,” Washington said.

The test used by Labs on the Go was developed by Premier Biotech and is meant to detect both IgG and IgM antibodies, meaning it should be able to determine if someone currently has COVID-19 or if they had it previously and since recovered.

For that reason, Washington said some of the clients she’s tested have been asymptomatic.

“They’re just telling me it's a relief. They are relieving a lot of anxiety for people, knowing that they are negative,” Washington said of her clients.  “Of course, some people want to know that they’ve come into contact with and it's gone but for the most part, everybody is happy that it’s negative.”

The Premier Biotech test is not yet FDA approved, but the company was granted Emergency Use Authorization by the FDA, which allows it to go to market before the agency reviews it. 

Per FDA regulations, those who take a test rolled out under EUA must be notified that it has not yet been reviewed and that it should not be used as the sole basis to diagnose COVID-19.

According to the FDA, an EUA is meant to relax the standards that allow tests to be made during urgent circumstances. 

“Since the beginning of January, the FDA has worked with more than 230 test developers who have or are expected to submit requests for FDA emergency authorization of their tests,” said FDA Commissioner Dr. Stephen Hahn.

Labs on the Go is located at 38196 Medical Center Ave in Zephyrhills. Mobile servicesAre also offered.  For more information call (813)312-3419.

BayCare utilizing different, FDA-approved test

Meanwhile, BayCare Health System announced it will also be utilizing rapid testing starting Thursday.  But Executive Vice President and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Nishant Anand said to receive one, patients must be showing symptoms of COVID-19.

“We think it’s going to be beneficial for the folks who can benefit from a diagnosis the quickest. Those are people admitted to the hospital,” Anand said. “And those people can get treatment started much more quickly.”

Anand also said the tests BayCare will be using are by Abbot Laboratories and are already FDA-approved.

“I want to make sure we give the most reliable test to the community,” he explained. "Because the worst thing you can do is have a test that’s not reliable and give false results with that.”