WACO, Texas – Central Texas has seen a high demand of COVID-19 tests as positive cases continue to increase.

“Everybody is out of tests. I mean, you have to call some places, you have to make an appointment, or you just got to try to get to where you can to make it. And then even once you do make it to where you get into, there’s still a long wait,” says Waco resident, Ashley Hernandez.

Ashley Hernandez waited over five hours in line to get a COVID-19 test. But like many people, she wonders which is the best test to take.

“It’s nerve wrecking, you know not everyone wants to get the thing in your nose, it’s uncomfortable, it’s just aggravating,” says Hernandez.

With more test sites being available to the public, pathologist Dr. Ari Rao shares the best time for you to get tested.

“If you take an antigen test in the first day there is a chance it can come out negative, because the virus has just started multiplying,” says Dr. Ari Rao, pathologist at Baylor Scott and White.

Dr. Rao recommends people to take two tests to confirm if they have the virus.

Which is what Hernandez decided to do after she and her wife started to notice symptoms.

“She went back today and she tested positive and now I’m getting tested again and it’s nerve wrecking,” says Hernandez.

Baylor Scott and White’s demand for COVID testing went from a couple hundred tests a day to over a thousand tests a day.

“But luckily, we don’t have too much of a backlog, we’re able to put out most of the results within 24 hours,” says Dr. Rao.

Waco McLennan County Health District is providing free COVID testing.

You can click here to register for an appointment.