COVID-19 Testing sites in the greater Pittsburgh area

Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) test 

PCR technology is considered the gold standard in diagnostic testing. This is a chemical reaction that repeatedly duplicates certain targeted segments of the virus's RNA, until there's enough of it to be detected. The targeted segments are carefully selected to be unique to the COVID-19 virus, and thus absent from other genetic material that might be present in human respiratory samples. This means we can be highly certain that any reaction and duplication occurs only with genetic material from the COVID-19 virus, and that minimizes the likelihood of false positives produced because of the test reacting with some other biological material.

Specimen collection: Saliva

This testing method is equally effective as the standard nasopharyngeal swab and offers an improvement because people can collect their own sample with minimal discomfort—simply spit into a sterile tube several times. Do not eat, drink, chew gum, smoke/vape or brush teeth for at least 30 minutes prior to collecting saliva.

Test results turnaround time 

Patient results report will be delivered via email, portal, fax, or sent USPS by end of next day for tests taken Monday through Thursday. For tests taken on Friday, results will be delivered on Monday.