A drive-through site where members of the community with an appointment can be tested for COVID-19 opened at UCF on Monday, April 6.

The site is a partnership between UCF and Aventus Biolabs, a private genetics testing lab owned and operated by Aventus Health, a healthcare company with headquarters in Orlando. Public health officials say that more widespread testing is key in getting the nation back to “normal,” and this is an opportunity for UCF and Aventus to contribute to the cause.

“Testing persons who may have COVID-19 is paramount to our blunting the impact of this outbreak,” says Michael Deichen, associate vice president for UCF Student Health Services.

“It is critically important that we expand testing for COVID-19 in Central Florida and throughout the state,” says Anna Eskamani ’12 ’15MNM ’15MPA, a current Ph.D. student in public affairs and a member of the Florida House of Representatives who connected Aventus with UCF. “I am thrilled to see this partnership come to life and know it will bring us one step closer to overcoming this pandemic.”

Individuals must have an appointment in order to receive a test, which is administered in UCF’s Garage A, located at 12491 University Blvd., weekdays from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. (appointments may end before 5 p.m. if the 250 daily appointments are filled earlier). Those who do not have an appointment will be turned away.

On April 29, a second COVID-19 testing site opened in the parking lot behind UCF’s Lake Nona Cancer Center, located at 400 Sanger Road, Orlando FL 32827. Up to 250 appointments a day are available from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday

To secure an appointment and have a test ordered for them, individuals must contact Aventus by calling 855-282-4860.

To secure an appointment and have a test ordered for them, individuals must contact Aventus by calling 855-282-4860.

Providers screen patients for symptoms and issue an order form if they qualify for testing. UCF students can obtain an ordered test from Student Health Services telehealth by calling 407-823-2701. UCF faculty and staff members can obtain their ordered test from their primary care provider by contacting UCF Health at 407-266-3627. Aventus also can connect anyone with a telehealth provider by calling 855-282-4860.

After the patient has been screened by a provider, Aventus’ client services team will reach out to complete all necessary paperwork and schedule an appointment for testing. Upon arrival during a scheduled time, individuals drive through and receive the testing with a swab designated specifically for them.

The average test takes about 10 minutes or less from the start of the appointment.

The efficiency of this process allows for individuals to receive their test results in about 24 to 48 hours. However, it is critical that appointments are made ahead of time, as this process does not allow for unscheduled testing.

Aventus has capacity to test about 250 people per day. The individuals who qualify for testing at UCF may not meet all of the criteria required by the Florida Department of Health in order to be tested at a county testing site, but still have been prescreened for symptoms and advised by healthcare providers to be tested.

“To overcome this pandemic, leaders in healthcare must come together and utilize cutting edge technology to accomplish that goal. Aventus and UCF partnering to provide testing is a pivotal step in that direction,” says Nagi Youssef, president and chairman of Aventus Health.

To learn more about COVID-19 and how testing is performed, visit Aventus’ site at aventushealth.com.