As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, patients need increasing access to physical medical facilities that can safely treat patients. In the greater Seattle, WA and Renton, WA area patients also need important preventive care services such as STD testing. Local news outlets recently covered the referendum on youth STD education and explained that high rates of STDs in youth populations exist due to lack of education, while publicly reported rates of STDs in general have grown nationally over the last five years.

Available, respectful, and private STD testing services are crucial to ensure that any sexually active adult is able to evaluate their risks and determine the next step for treatment if need. Early sexually transmitted disease and infections screenings can also help conditions from worsening into potentially problematic chronic conditions. The good news for patients in the Pacific Northwest is that AFC Urgent Care Southcenter offers available and immediate STD testing services for patients in Renton, WA, SeaTac, WA, Tukwila, WA, and nearby Kent, WA.

Below, we provided an overview on who may need STD testing services, our proximity to nearby townships for urgent care access, and how we can safely test patients during the COVID-19 pandemic:

Who likely needs STD Testing?

Any patient that has recent sexual activity with one or multiple partners should get an STD test. Sexual intercourse with just one person could potentially indicate a high risk level, depending upon other risk factors. Drug use, alcohol use, risk sexual behaviors such as unprotected sex, and intercourse with someone who has an STD/STI history may increase those risk factors.

In addition, the number of sexual partners also greatly increases the risk of an STD or STI. When you visit a nearby urgent care center for STD testing make sure that you accurately provide your recent sexual activity to your provider. At AFC Urgent Care Southcenter, all testing information and screenings are respectful and confidential to provide the best patient experience possible.

STD Testing near SeaTac, Renton, and Tukwila, WA

AFC Urgent Care Southcenter is located in Kent, WA at the Southcenter plaza, but we also are in extremely close proximity to other major towns and cities in the Greater Seattle Area.

Our urgent care center and walk-in clinic is only 8 minutes away from SeaTac and SeaTac airport, which is useful for travelers and patients that need immediate STD testing or other preventive care services. AFC Urgent Care Southcenter is also 11 minutes from Renton, WA and 9 minutes south from Tukwila, WA, respectively. Getting to AFC Urgent Care is easy: just take either I-5 or I-405 and find our clinic off of Rt 181. Once you’re here we can begin the process for screening for potential STDs with our affordable and fast STD panel services.

Is STD Testing safe during the COVID-19 pandemic?

At AFC Urgent Care Southcenter, we pride ourselves on providing the safest and most efficient services while maintaining strict infection control protocols. The COVID-19 pandemic has taken a toll on everyone so we are doing our best to give patients ample access to services. Patients that visit our urgent care center for STD testing and other medical services that aren’t COVID-19 related are separately managed from patients waiting for testing. As you wait for urgent care you don’t need to wait in proximity to patients with potential COVID risks. Instead our team is able to quickly see you for urgent care in a private and sanitized exam room for your screening.

If you have any additional questions reach out to our team, we’d be happy to help with any urgent care needs!