The information on this page is directed to UCSF faculty, staff and learners, including UCSF Health and Benioff Children's Hospitals faculty. For patient information, visit UCSF Health’s COVID-19 Information for Patients & Visitors or COVID-19 Vaccines at UCSF Benioff Children’s Hospitals websites.
Updated April 1, 2024
UCSF COVID-19 Testing Policy
Review the UCSF Return-to-Onsite Work Guidelines for COVID-19 Symptoms, COVID-19 Exposures and COVID-19 Positive Test results.
How to Get a COVID Test
Keep in mind:
- All current UCSF Return-to-Work Guidelines allow for Home Antigen Testing. Some insurance plans may cover the cost or provide Home Antigen Tests.
- Before you throw out "expired" tests, check FDA's website to see if your COVID-19 tests' expiration dates have been extended.
COVID tests are available via:
- UC Health Insurance Plans
- For UCSF faculty, staff and learners, learn more about how to get access to rapid antigen test kits through your UC Health plans.
- Additional details can be found at UCNet or on the individual UCNet health plan pages. For questions, contact your health plan directly at the number on your insurance card.
- Non-UC Health Insurance Plans
- Your insurance may provide you with free home antigen test kits. Check with your insurance provider.
- UCSF Occupational Health Services
- For workplace exposures, complete the Digital Screener and contact UCSF Occupational Health Services-COVID Response Team at 415-514-7328 to discuss where to get test kits.
- Primary Care Provider
- Contact your Primary Care Provider to assist with testing and treatment.
- Community-Based Retailers / Pharmacies (e.g., Walgreens, CVS, Walmart, Costco, Grocery Stores, Amazon and others)
- Urgent Care Clinics / Emergency Department
UCSF-Approved Tests
- Home-based Rapid Antigen (ie. BinaxNOW, iHealth, Abbott Now, FlowFlex, QuickView)
- Reverse-transcriptase PCR (RT-PCR) PCR
- Nucleic acid amplification (NAA)
- Non-Abbott ID Now nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT)
- Transcription-mediated amplification (TMA)
- Loop-mediated amplification (LAMP)