NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — A new, rapid, COVID-19 test is now in Middle Tennessee.

AFC Urgent Care in Spring Hill launched testing Monday that can produce results in just minutes.

All AFC facilities already had the Abbott molecular testing systems in place, typically used to test for flu or strep but now the same machine can produce COVID-19 test results within as little as 5 minutes.

AFC Chief Medical Officer Benjamin Barlow says patients can be in and out of their urgent care facility with result in hand in about 20 minutes.

“We are meeting them at the door, we are giving them mask, my staff is in their full CDC recommended PPE. They come to the room, we swab them right away and we get a result back in as little as 5 minutes as long as 13.”

Before now, AFC had been sending off test, leaving patients sometime waiting on results for weeks. 

“We were getting frustrated with the length of time and the patient was to so now the fact we can swab a patient and get a positive test in 5 minutes is pretty incredible,” Barlow explained. 

The test are designed to identify the virus by targeting small amounts of it and amplifying that portion until there is enough for detection, he said. 

“This is definitely a game changer as far as how we address this pandemic going forward.”

AFC plans to have the test at all 6 Nashville locations by the end of the week.

Patients must register online for the test first. There is a $150 charge for the test. For more information visit their website.