VISIT OUR CORONAVIRUS TESTING CENTER & GET THE COVID VACCINE
SERVING ODESSA & MIDLAND, TX

The COVID-19 virus is still out there and is still a concern. Coronavirus is a virus that attacks your respiratory system and is very easily transmitted, so it is important for us to protect ourselves and others. To avoid spreading coronavirus, it is essential to practice social distancing and get the COVID vaccine. Be sure to stay home unless it is necessary for you to leave. In cases you do need to leave your home, make sure you stay 6 feet apart from others, wear a face mask, and be sure to thoroughly wash your hands afterward. If you have come in contact with someone who has tested positive for coronavirus or you have any symptoms of coronavirus, it is important that you isolate yourself.

If you have been exposed to someone with COVID-19, or if you start showing symptoms, it's important to get tested as quickly as possible. Knowing whether you have the virus or not is the first step against stopping the spread, so it's important to have a fast and accurate method of determining your situation. That is where our COVID-19 rapid testing facility comes in.

The rapid test checks for proteins that are found on the outside of the virus to determine whether you are positive for COVID-19 or not. You can receive your results in about 15 minutes, giving you quick insight one way or another.

Our facility administers the COVID-19 rapid test to confirm whether symptomatic patients (or anyone else who has a high likelihood of testing positive) have the virus or not. This helps you gain clarity and take steps to protect your family members, friends, neighbors, and other members of the community. These steps can include alerting anyone who might have come into contact with you, making arrangements with your workplace, masking and socially distancing if you need to go out, reaching out for medical treatment, and remaining in your home until symptoms have passed.

WesTex Urgent Care offers COVID-19 testing, antibody testing, and vaccine administration to patients throughout the Midland and Odessa area. If you have any questions about our Coronavirus testing center, don't hesitate to contact our team.

There are several instances in which you will need or want to seek a rapid test for COVID-19.

• If you are showing symptoms: If you exhibit any of the symptoms above, a rapid test can quickly tell you whether you have the virus. You can test positive and transmit the virus even if you have been fully vaccinated, though vaccinated patients generally report more mild symptoms.

• If you have been exposed: If you have not been fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and have come into close contact with someone with a confirmed case, even if they don't have symptoms within 10 days of their positive test result, you will need a rapid test to determine whether you might have contracted the virus.

• If you have been put at risk: If you have not been vaccinated but have attended a large social or mass gathering, such as a concert or large-scale sporting event, a rapid test can put your mind at ease.

• If you have been asked: If you haven't been vaccinated, you might be asked or referred for testing from your school, workplace, health care provider, or state or local health care department. In other cases, negative tests are required to attend family weddings, sporting events, and other functions.

Our rapid COVID-19 testing facility can take you immediately and get you quick results, allowing you to continue to live your life as normal or take the appropriate precautions in the event of a positive test result.

If you are considering getting the COVID vaccine in Midland or Odessa, TX, here are some benefits that come with making this smart decision:

• Reduce your risk of infection: As soon as you receive your first shot, your body starts producing antibodies to COVID. These antibodies assist your immune system in fighting the virus, in turn reducing your risk of contracting the virus. You can still become infected with the virus after receiving the vaccine, but the chances of this will decline over time once the vaccine is received by more of the population.

• Protect your unborn baby or newborn: Studies have found that expectant mothers can pass these antibodies to the virus to their unborn child through the placenta. It has also been shown that mothers can pass the antibodies to their newborns through breast milk. This is important for children around this age, as they are too young to receive a vaccine.

• Prevent severe illness: Through studies, it has been shown that the main four vaccines have been effective at preventing serious illness caused by COVID. This means if you are vaccinated and you contract COVID, you are very unlikely to become seriously ill.