DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - A Dallas business, Frontline ER, is offering drive-up rapid coronavirus tests amid a backlog in labs in Texas and parts of the country.

It will operate the drive-thru between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. Friday and this weekend at Gaston Avenue and Garland Road.

The test is different from the PCR test processed in a lab because the swab goes up one inch in a person's nose, instead of deep into the sinus cavity.

Once the techs have a person's sample, they place it into an actuator, then a cartridge and finally a machine, before getting a result in 15 minutes.

Frontline's medical director, Dr. Ethan Tran said, "We've seen an increase in demand for our rapid testing."

Dr. Tran said because of the delay in receiving results for the more common PCR tests, they are only conducting rapid tests.

"They were taking way too long to get the results back. A lot of things can happen in 14 days. If you have a positive test, you need to know right away, you can't just wait 14 days."

The overnight drive-up rapid test at Frontline will cost $200.

They will only accept insurance during the daytime hours, and customers must make an appointment.

Demand for coronavirus tests has increased along with the number of positive cases of the virus.

In a statement this week, the American Clinical Lab Association, which represents many private labs, said "In light of the ongoing spread of COVID-19 in states across the country, many labs are now receiving more test orders than they are able to process in a single day. We have urged ordering providers to prioritize testing for those most in need, especially hospitalized and symptomatic patients."

One lab, Quest Diagnostic said it's average for turning around a Covid-19 diagnostic test is one day for priority patients, but for other patients, it's taking seven days or longer.

Quest said it can now process 125,000 Covid-19 diagnostic tests a day, which has nearly doubled from eight weeks ago.

By the end of the month, Quest said it will be able to increase its processing to 150,000 tests per day.
It's not just private labs.

This week, Dallas County turned down the federal government's offer for extending funding for its drive-up community test site at Ellis Davis Field in South Dallas, because it was taking between eight and ten days to get results.

Dr. Philip Huang, Director of Dallas County Health and Human Services said those who get tested there now will find out in two or three days.

"It's a commercial lab that we can get a quicker turnaround than what the federal government is providing," he said.