Reported gonorrhea in Covington County runs about 17% higher than the U.S. average. If you live in Collins, Mississippi and are being tested before starting a new relationship or as part of ongoing care, you may have financial trade-offs to weigh. Clinics may bill insurance or offer sliding-scale fees, while many private labs let you pay a flat self-pay price. See the listings below.
Available testing centers
7 testing options are listed for Collins, MS. The nearest, Covington County Hospital, is about 1.0 miles away. Compare community and public clinics, private labs, and at-home kits below.
Listings tagged Community health center are federally funded health centers and rural clinics that treat everyone regardless of insurance or ability to pay: required to bill on a sliding fee scale and provide confidential care, and in many states minors may consent to their own STI testing. A Title X tag flags centers funded for confidential family-planning services; confirm current participation when you call.
Source: CMS FQHC & Rural Health Clinic enrollment files (data.cms.gov), refreshed quarterly. Title X status reflects the latest OPA grantee list.
A public safety-net rural health clinic about 1 mile from Collins. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
Tests offered
Mississippi State Department of Health in Collins accepts Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance, with a fee structure that scales to what you bring. Testing covers HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia alongside TB, with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections and HPV and hepatitis A and B vaccines available. Appointments required.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified May 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Southeast Mississippi Rural Health Initiative in Seminary pairs rapid and conventional HIV testing with same-visit treatment for gonorrhea, chlamydia, and syphilis, so a single appointment resolves a bacterial diagnosis on the spot. Sliding-scale fees apply to everyone, and Medicaid, Medicare, and private insurance are all accepted. Walk-ins welcome.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified May 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN
Free tool · not a clinic
Testing too soon can miss an infection. Enter the date of possible exposure to see the earliest a test can reliably detect each STI.
| Infection | Earliest reliable test | Conclusive after |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 7 days after exposure | 14 days after exposure |
| Gonorrhea | 7 days after exposure | 14 days after exposure |
| Trichomoniasis | 7 days after exposure | 28 days after exposure |
| HIV (NAT / RNA) | 10 days after exposure | 33 days after exposure |
| HIV (4th-gen Ag/Ab) | 18 days after exposure | 45 days after exposure |
| HIV (antibody) | 21 days after exposure | 84 days after exposure |
| Syphilis | 21 days after exposure | 42 days after exposure |
| Hepatitis B | 21 days after exposure | 42 days after exposure |
| Hepatitis C | 56 days after exposure | 77 days after exposure |
| Herpes (HSV) | 28 days after exposure | 112 days after exposure |
Guidance only, confirm timing with a clinician. A negative result before the conclusive date may need a repeat test.
Typical out-of-pocket ranges by option, actual cost depends on which tests you need.
Public / community clinic
Free HIV testing is common
Private lab (self-pay)
Never billed to insurance
At-home kit
Mailed to your door, private
Doctor / urgent care
Often $0 preventive with insurance
No centers match those filters. Clear the service-type filter or the opening-hours filters to see every center.
Every other option
Beyond the dedicated testing centers above: at-home kits by mail, hospital labs certified for STI testing, local clinicians who can order a panel during a regular visit, pharmacies for self-test kits and prescriptions, and online PrEP & treatment.
Test from home
The nearest testing center is about 1 mile away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Collins, you collect the sample privately, and mail it back to a CLIA-certified lab. Results come online in days, with a clinician available if anything is positive. Same labs as a clinic, no waiting room, and you can read how accurate at-home STD tests are before you order.
Want a free option first? The CDC-supported TakeMeHome (opens in a new tab) program mails free at-home HIV self-test kits, and, in many areas, free STI kits, to your door, with no insurance or payment needed. The paid kits below add broader panels and faster turnaround.
In-home collection
$79 & up
Best value: single tests
$49 & up
Best for simplicity & support
$89 & up
Every kit uses CLIA-certified labs. At-home testing is for screening; a reactive result should be confirmed and treated by a clinician. Prices and panels shown are illustrative and change often, confirm current details on the provider's site.
Also in the area
Beyond the public testing sites above, these federally certified (CLIA) labs serve Covington County, each lab's town is shown on its card below. Many test through a doctor's order or by appointment rather than walk-in, so call ahead to confirm STD/STI testing and availability before visiting.
701 South Holly Avenue, Collins, MS 39428
CMS-certified lab
704 Fifth Street, Collins, MS 39428
CMS-certified lab
215 Bobby Beasley Street, Seminary, MS 39479
CMS-certified lab
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Collins. A CLIA certificate records only that a laboratory is federally certified — it does not confirm the site performs STD testing, nor its hours, price or access. Inclusion is not an endorsement; always call to verify.
Local clinicians
Beyond dedicated clinics, 196 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Collins. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 81 offer telehealth.
Andrea Bruce, DO
Family medicine · 301 Hospital Boulevard, Collins
Rebecca Lauderdale, MD Telehealth
Internal medicine · 704 South 5th Street, Collins
Bobby Jones, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 215 Bobby Beasley Street, Seminary
Ginger Pace-Herndon, MD
Family medicine · 1016 Hwy 42, Sumrall
Benjamin Moore, MD
OB-GYN · 360 Simpson Hwy 149, Magee
Charles Pruitt, MD
Family medicine · 376 Simpson Hwy 149, Magee
These are registry-listed clinicians, not dedicated STD-testing clinics. CMS records do not independently verify current licensure, testing services, availability, price, or new-patient status. Confirm each detail before booking. Source: CMS Doctors & Clinicians.
Nearby pharmacies
No pharmacy near Collins, MS publishes an STD-related service or holds a current CLIA testing certificate, so these are simply the closest. Contact a location directly to confirm counter hours, services, prices, and availability before visiting.
Clayton Drug Store
0.7 miExpress RX of Seminary
7.2 miK's Discount Drugs
8.1 miPowell Drugs
9.4 miNewpointe Pharmacy
14 miShowing the 5 closest pharmacies to Collins, MS.
Directory records identify nearby pharmacies. Service, stock, price, and hours information is shown only when supported by current location-specific evidence.
Prevention & treatment
Testing is one step. For residents of Collins, telehealth covers the rest: HIV-prevention medication (PrEP) and DoxyPEP to lower future risk, and discreet online treatment if a result comes back positive. All prescribed by licensed U.S. clinicians.
Visit from $39
Online STI treatment & DoxyPEP: same-day prescriptions to your pharmacy
Visit from $0 insured
Telehealth STI treatment and sexual-health care, delivered or to your pharmacy
From $0 insured
Telehealth PrEP & DoxyPEP with at-home testing and ongoing monitoring
$0 with most insurance
Free online PrEP & DoxyPEP: HIV prevention, home lab kits, no in-person visit
Pricing varies by insurance and changes often, confirm on the provider's site. These services are not a substitute for emergency care.
STD stats & rates
How reported STI rates in Covington County, the county that includes Collins, compare with Mississippi and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~20% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#57 of 82 Mississippi counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 30% of the state
| Infection | Covington County | Mississippi | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 515 93 cases ▼ 27% | 700.9 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 210.4 38 cases ▼ 16% | 251.1 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 60.9 11 cases ▲ 102% | 30.1 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 44.3 8 cases ▲ 172% | 16.3 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 66.4 12 cases ▲ 2% | 64.8 | 29.5 |
Rates per 100,000 population, 2023. Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county, state & U.S., all-ages basis). Population figures: U.S. Census Bureau ACS. These figures are the latest available surveillance estimates. Bars are scaled to the highest rate shown.
Reading these numbers: reported case rates only count infections that were actually tested for and diagnosed, so they track local screening effort as much as true spread: a higher rate can reflect more testing, a lower one less. Either way, most STIs cause no symptoms, so treat the figures above as context rather than a verdict, and test on the CDC's schedule regardless of how your area looks.
Between 2020 and 2023 in Covington County, chlamydia has fallen from 845.1 to 515 per 100,000 (39%), gonorrhea has fallen from 676.1 to 210.4 per 100,000 (69%), and P&S syphilis has fallen from 70.9 to 60.9 per 100,000 (14%).
The 2020 dip reflects reduced pandemic-era screening, not lower transmission. Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county, state & U.S., all-ages basis).
Community health context
Sources: CDC PLACES (ZIP), County Health Rankings, CDC/ATSDR SVI, HRSA HPSA, HRSA MUA/P, Neighborhood Atlas ADI. Lower insurance coverage, fewer routine checkups, and a thin primary-care ratio all raise the value of low-cost public clinics and at-home testing in Covington County.
Local HIV snapshot
Federal priority area: Mississippi is one of the U.S. jurisdictions prioritized under the Ending the HIV Epidemic initiative: targeted federal funding to expand local HIV testing, PrEP, and prevention.
Covington County HIV care continuum (2020)
Covington County recorded 33.2 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2020), against 21.3 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Covington County residents living with HIV, 88.5% are in care · 65.4% are virally suppressed. Early, routine testing is what moves these numbers: it is the entry point to PrEP, treatment, and viral suppression.
Sources: AIDSVu (Emory/Gilead) · CDC AHEAD · CDC AtlasPlus · CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus (county care continuum). The CDC recommends everyone aged 13–64 test for HIV at least once: every lab and clinic listed above offers HIV testing, and free rapid HIV testing is available at a local health department.
Congenital syphilis, passed from parent to baby in pregnancy, is the fastest-rising STI in the country. U.S. cases climbed from 2,163 in 2020 to 3,882 in 2023. It is almost entirely preventable: the CDC recommends a syphilis test at the first prenatal visit, and every clinic and lab listed for Covington County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Grand Paradise Waterpark draws families and young adults year-round, a gathering place where Collins stays connected, and where health conversations, though less visible, matter just as much. Testing for sexually transmitted infections is available in and around Collins through the providers listed on this page, with confidentiality built into how clinics operate here. For the young adults and single households that make up a visible part of the community, routine screening fits into life without fanfare: you schedule, you get tested, your results stay yours alone. Collins residents also live in multigenerational homes where privacy carries its own weight. A clinic visit for STI testing doesn't require explanation to housemates or family; the process is straightforward and discreet.
Whether you're between relationships, starting something new, or simply keeping yourself informed, the testing sites serving Collins treat each visit as confidential from intake through results. The affordability of living here extends to health care. Testing costs are manageable through the clinics available to Collins residents, with many offering sliding-scale fees or uninsured options. MS 184 and the surrounding area have clinics within reach, making routine sexual health screening accessible without the barrier of distance or expense that complicates testing in other places.
Getting there
At 5.54/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Collins generally mean driving: plan on a car or rideshare to reach a clinic, and check each listing's hours and phone before you go.
Source: EPA National Walkability Index 2021.
ZIP 39428 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 39428 area around Collins: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Collins alone.
Collins sits in Covington County, ZIP 39428. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Collins? These nearby communities have their own testing guides: clinics, at-home kits, and free screening close to home.
Reference
Everything to know before you test in Covington County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Mississippi law. If you have symptoms right now, our confidential symptom checker maps them to the tests worth considering.
Based on current CDC screening recommendations.
| Group | Tests | How often |
|---|---|---|
| Everyone aged 13–64 | HIV | At least once |
| Sexually active women under 25 | Chlamydia, gonorrhea | Every year |
| Women 25+ with new or multiple partners | Chlamydia, gonorrhea | Every year |
| Pregnant people | HIV, syphilis, hepatitis B & C, chlamydia | Early in pregnancy |
| Gay & bisexual men (MSM) | Chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV | Every 3–6 months |
| Anyone who shares injection equipment | HIV, hepatitis B & C | At least yearly |
| All adults at least once | Hepatitis C | At least once |
Testing too early can return a false negative, confirm timing with a Collins-area provider.
| Infection | Earliest reliable test | Sample |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 1–2 weeks | Urine or swab |
| Gonorrhea | 1–2 weeks | Urine or swab |
| Trichomoniasis | 1–4 weeks | Urine or swab |
| HIV (NAT / RNA) | 10–33 days | Blood |
| HIV (4th-gen Ag/Ab) | 18–45 days | Blood |
| HIV (antibody) | 3–12 weeks | Blood / oral |
| Syphilis | 3–6 weeks | Blood |
| Hepatitis B | 3–6 weeks | Blood |
| Hepatitis C | 8–11 weeks | Blood |
| Herpes (HSV) | 4–16 weeks (antibody); swab a sore | Blood / swab |
These are the federal Medicare reference prices for processing each lab test. Public clinics and the community health centers serving Collins often test free or on a sliding scale; private labs and at-home kits bundle several tests into one fee. Use this as a per-test benchmark before you pay out of pocket, or see the full guide to STD test costs for insurance, free, and at-home options.
| Test | Reference price | CPT / HCPCS |
|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia (NAAT) | $47.80 | 87491 |
| Gonorrhea (NAAT) | $47.80 | 87591 |
| Trichomoniasis (NAAT) | $47.76 | 87661 |
| HIV-1/2 antigen/antibody | $26.87 | 87389 |
| HIV-1/2 antibody | $22.44 | 86703 |
| Syphilis (RPR/VDRL) | $5.61 | 86592 |
| Syphilis (treponemal antibody) | $17.49 | 86780 |
| Herpes (HSV NAAT) | $47.76 | 87529 |
| Hepatitis B surface antigen | $15.33 | 87340 |
| Hepatitis C antibody | $29.16 | 86803 |
Source: Medicare Clinical Laboratory Fee Schedule, CMS, 2025 rates (data.cms.gov). Reference rate for the lab assay only: a clinic visit, sample collection, or a bundled multi-test panel may cost more. Medicaid and most insurers cover STD screening at no out-of-pocket cost.
Two things that actually depend on Mississippi law: who can consent, and whether partners can be treated without their own visit. Everything else about testing privately is the same nationwide (see below).
In Mississippi, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Mississippi permits Expedited Partner Therapy (EPT): if you test positive for chlamydia or gonorrhea, your provider can give you medication (or a prescription) to pass to your partner, no separate exam or appointment needed for them.
Keeping a test private works the same in every state. Whether an STD test shows on insurance (the EOB), how to test anonymously, and self-pay options that leave no insurance trail don’t change by location.
Learn more about confidential STD testing in MississippiSource: Guttmacher Institute, Minors' Access to STI Services; CDC, Legal Status of Expedited Partner Therapy. General information, not legal advice.
Good to Know
Answers to the questions people ask most before getting tested.
Possibly, Sumrall, MS is close; compare it by distance against Covington County Hospital.
Most plans cover STD screening; a clinic or lab can bill insurance, or you can pay a flat self-pay price.
Public clinics nearby offer free HIV testing.
Local options test for Chlamydia, Gonorrhea, Syphilis, Herpes, Hepatitis A, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, Rapid HIV, a full panel covers the common ones.
About 515 cases per 100,000 residents (2023), below the Mississippi average.
Yes, at-home kits ship to 39428; you collect a sample, mail it back, and get results in about 2–5 days.
In Mississippi, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Yes, partners should test and be treated together to avoid passing it back and forth.
Yes if the first test was early; recheck a few weeks out for chlamydia/gonorrhea and up to ~3 months for HIV/syphilis.
Yes, test after the window period, and if HIV exposure is a concern, ask about PEP within 72 hours.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.