Where to go for COVID-19 testing in Cicero
All three urgent care clinics in Cicero list COVID-19 testing among the conditions they treat, so the practical question is which one is open and how far you are willing to travel.
| Clinic | Google rating | Weekday hours | Book or call |
|---|---|---|---|
| AFC Urgent Care Cicero4769 W Cermak Rd, Ste. B, CiceroX-ray on siteLab on siteSe habla español | 4.9★★★★½180 reviews | 8:00 am – 8:00 pm | Check in online(708) 982-3898 |
| Midwest Express Clinic — Cicero3314 S Cicero Ave, Unit B, CiceroX-ray on siteLab on siteMedicaid | 4.8★★★★½1,212 reviews | 8:00 am – 8:00 pm | Check in online(708) 391-3030 |
| Cermak Immediate Care — Cicero5741 W Cermak Rd, CiceroX-ray on siteLab on siteSe habla españolMedicaid | 4.7★★★★½3,398 reviews | 7:00 am – 11:59 pmLatest in Cicero | Check in online(708) 222-0100 |
If it is late. Cermak Immediate Care on 5741 W Cermak Rd stays open until 11:59 pm seven days a week. Every other clinic in the area closes by 8 pm on weekdays and several by 6 pm at weekends, so after 8 pm it is realistically that clinic or an emergency room — and an emergency room will cost several times more for the same complaint.
What COVID-19 testing costs in Cicero
A walk-in visit for COVID-19 testing runs about $100–$250 if you are paying yourself, before any test or prescription. Free community testing has largely ended, so expect a standard visit charge. If cost is the obstacle, ask specifically whether they offer a self-pay test-only price, which is usually well below a full visit.
On Illinois Medicaid the copay is typically $3–$8, and often nothing. Cermak Immediate Care and Midwest Express Clinic both state that they accept Medicaid; AFC Urgent Care lists only “most major insurance” without naming it, so confirm before you go. Our guide to Medicaid at urgent care covers what to ask and what to bring.
The same complaint at an emergency room typically costs $1,000 or more. That gap is the single strongest reason to use urgent care when the problem is not an emergency — see urgent care costs and insurance for the full breakdown.
Urgent care, the ER, or wait it out
Testing rarely changes treatment for an otherwise healthy adult — it changes what you do next: whether you isolate, whether you warn people you have seen, and whether you qualify for antivirals. What sends COVID to an emergency department is breathing, not the result.
| Urgent care handles this | Go to an emergency room |
|---|---|
| You need a result for work, school or travel | Shortness of breath, or breathlessness at rest |
| You are higher risk and want antivirals | Chest pain or pressure |
| You live with someone vulnerable | Bluish lips or face |
| Symptoms that are unpleasant but manageable | Confusion, or difficulty staying awake |
| You want to know whether it is COVID or flu | Unable to keep fluids down |
What to watch for
What happens at the visit
A nasal swab, then either a rapid antigen test read in the clinic in about fifteen minutes, or a PCR sample sent to a lab. Rapid tests are reliable when positive and less so when negative, particularly very early in the illness — a negative rapid test on day one with clear symptoms is worth repeating a day or two later. Clinics commonly test for flu at the same time.
What to bring, what to ask
- Photo ID and your insurance or Medicaid card. If you have neither, ask for the self-pay price up front — every clinic here quotes one.
- A list of any medicines you take, including anything bought over the counter.
- Know your vaccination dates and any chronic conditions, since both affect whether antivirals are offered.
- Ask whether the test is done on site or sent out, because that changes when you get an answer.
- Ask what to do if you are not improving, and by when — a clear answer to that question is the most useful thing you can leave with.
- Shortness of breath, or breathlessness while sitting still
- Chest pain or persistent pressure
- Bluish lips or face
- New confusion, or difficulty staying awake
- Unable to keep fluids down
Breathing difficulty is the symptom that matters most and the one people most often talk themselves out of acting on. See urgent care versus the emergency room.
Related guides
Flu · Strep throat · Bronchitis · Sinus infection · Dehydration
Or compare every clinic in the area on our Cicero urgent care listing, and see what wait times are actually like.
Frequently asked questions
Where can I get a COVID test in Cicero without an appointment?
All three Cicero clinics — Cermak Immediate Care, AFC Urgent Care and Midwest Express Clinic — list COVID-19 testing and accept walk-in patients seven days a week.
Rapid test or PCR?
Rapid gives an answer in about fifteen minutes and is dependable when positive. PCR is more sensitive but takes a day or more. If you need certainty from a negative result, PCR is the better choice.
Is COVID testing still free in Cicero?
Generally not — free community programmes have largely ended. Expect a visit charge, and ask whether a test-only self-pay price is available.
Can I be tested for COVID and flu at the same time?
Yes, and clinics commonly do. The two illnesses overlap so heavily in symptoms that testing for one without the other often leaves you no wiser.
Do I still need to isolate if I test positive?
Guidance has relaxed and varies by workplace and school. The common current advice is to stay home while feverish and until symptoms are improving, then take care around anyone vulnerable. Check your employer’s or school’s own policy — they differ.
Clinic hours, services and insurance were checked on 2026-09-02 against each clinic’s own website and booking platform. Google ratings come from the Google Places API and are refreshed regularly. Where a detail could not be confirmed we leave it blank rather than guess. Hours change without notice — call before you travel.