COVID-19 Testing and Care
If You or Your Child Was Exposed to COVID-19 or Suspect You Have Been
For More InformationIf you experience the following symptoms, call 911 so you can be transported to the nearest emergency department for evaluation:
- Extreme difficulty breathing (for example, cannot speak in a full sentence or walk across the room without having to stop to catch your breath)
- Blue lips, face, or skin
- Severe chest pain
- Confusion, new-onset slurred speech, or seizure activity
If You Have Mild or Moderate COVID-19 Symptoms
If you or your child has symptoms of COVID-19, you need to be evaluated by a provider who can assess your symptoms and recommend appropriate testing and treatment:
- Fever or chills
- New or worsening cough
- Trouble breathing
- Fatigue
- Muscle or body aches
- Headache
- Loss of taste or smell
- Sore throat
- Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea or vomiting
- Diarrhea
If You Are a Current Duke Patient
- Schedule an appointment with your doctor during normal business hours.
- Schedule a visit with Duke Virtual Urgent Care. This option is available to Duke patients age six and older with mild symptoms. You must have a Duke MyChart account to schedule the appointment. Children under six years of age and pregnant women cannot be evaluated through this virtual option and should contact their doctor directly.
- Reserve a spot beforehand or walk-in to a Duke Urgent Care Center. Use this option if your doctor isn't available or you need care after hours.
If You Are Not a Current Duke Patient
- Please call the Duke Health COVID-19 Hotline -- 919-385-0429 -- to schedule an appointment, 8:00 am until 6:00 pm Monday - Saturday.
- Schedule a virtual visit with DukeHealth Anywhere. Download the app from the Apple or Google Play app stores.
Duke Health Anywhere is a 24/7 virtual urgent care option for people who are not Duke patients, or who do not have a Duke MyChart account. If you are a Duke patient, it is a good option when Duke Virtual Urgent Care is not open. Your virtual visit will be with a board-certified provider through a mobile device or computer with a webcam. Duke Health Anywhere does not accept insurance. Visits cost $59.
If You've Been Exposed to COVID-19 but Do Not Have Symptoms
If you or your child has been exposed to COVID-19 -- for example, you live with someone diagnosed with COVID-19 or had close contact for more than 15 minutes with someone diagnosed COVID-19 -- AND you have not received the COVID-19 vaccine, follow the CDC recommendations for quarantining. In addition:
- Contact your school or workplace for their policies on when you can return to school or work after exposure.
- If you remain symptom-free, testing is recommended five to seven days after the exposure.
- If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, schedule a visit with your doctor or go to urgent care.
If you are vaccinated and have a known exposure to COVID-19 but are asymptomatic, the CDC says you should:
- be tested three to five days after the known exposure.
- wear a mask in public indoor settings for 14 days following the exposure.
- Should monitor yourself for symptoms of COVID-19 for 14 days following exposure. If you develop COVID-19 symptoms, isolate yourself from others, and schedule a visit with your doctor to be evaluated.
If You Need COVID-19 Testing but Have No Symptoms
COVID testing is only available at Duke Health locations by appointment. To get tested:
- Call the Duke Health COVID-19 Hotline: 919-385-0429, available Monday - Saturday from 8:00 am to 6:00 pm, to schedule a test.
- Find a North Carolina testing site.
- Learn more about North Carolina’s Department of Health’s Home Test Collection Kit Program.
If you have a Duke MyChart account, you can use it to pull up your vaccination record for proof of vaccination. To find your vaccination record, go to the menu on the top left, scroll to “My Record,” and click on COVID-19. There you will find your vaccination record and COVID-19 test results. Alternatively, you can visit the NC Department of Health and Human Services website or the health department in the state where you received your vaccine. It will walk you through the steps to view your COVID-19 vaccination status.
Help Us Learn More by Participating in Research
If you have flu-like symptoms, have been tested for or confirmed to have COVID-19, or are concerned about COVID-19 exposure and would like to track your symptoms twice a day for four weeks, please consider enrolling in the Pandemic Response Network: Duke Community Health Watch.
Participate in COVID-19 Research Studies
Long at the forefront of infectious disease and vaccine research, Duke Health is now actively studying prevention, treatment, and long-term recovery for COVID-19 patients. By participating in a clinical trial, you can help advance our search for a cure and could be among the first to benefit from our discoveries. View the directory.