Hertford County reports about 1080 chlamydia cases per 100,000 residents, above the US average. If you've recently had a risk or want to test regularly in Como, North Carolina, you can weigh visiting a clinic for immediate questions and treatment, or an at-home kit where you mail in the sample. We list options below.
Available testing centers
7 testing options are listed for Como, NC. The nearest, Roanoke Chowan Community Health Center, is about 6.2 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.
Roanoke Chowan Community Health Center in Murfreesboro tests for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, and all three hepatitis strains on a sliding-scale fee, and every service is provided at no charge. Appointments are required.
Sliding-scale clinics typically still generate a bill, even a small one, after the visit. Roanoke Chowan Community Health Center charges nothing for any service it provides, so the full scope of testing, treatment, and prevention sits at the same price point regardless of what you need.
Without direct-language care, an STI diagnosis can stall at the point of explanation. Leaving treatment delayed and follow-up questions unanswered. Roanoke Chowan Community Health Center delivers care in American Sign Language, Chinese, French, and Haitian Creole, along with Portuguese, Spanish, Tagalog, and Vietnamese, so the clinical conversation actually completes.
Roanoke Chowan Community Health Center prescribes and manages both PrEP and PEP on-site, meaning a prevention plan, and any necessary adjustments to it, stays with the same clinical team rather than moving across providers.
Languages
American Sign Language, Chinese, English, French, Haitian Creole, Interpretation Services Available for Non-English Languages, Portuguese, Spanish, Tagalog, Vietnamese
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Aug 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
Murfreesboro Primay Care, in Murfreesboro, welcomes walk-in patients for STI screening without an appointment. Federal qualification ties its fees to a sliding income-based scale, so a single visit can cover syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia testing at a cost adjusted to what each patient actually earns.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
A public safety-net federally qualified health center about 12 miles from Como. Sliding-scale STD testing and care are typical here, call ahead to confirm the exact panel and pricing.
Tests offered
Fees & payment
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 6 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Como, 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 Hertford 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.
500 Academy Street, Ahoskie, NC 27910
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
120 Health Center Drive, Ahoskie, NC 27910
CMS-certified lab Accredited · Joint Commission
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Como. 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, 67 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Como. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 14 offer telehealth.
Gilberto Navarro, MD
Internal medicine · 305 Beechwood Boulevard, Murfreesboro
Elizabeth Robledo, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 1378 Armory Drive, Franklin
Shavon Jones, MD
Family medicine · 1357 Armory Drive, Franklin
Michael Abu-Absi, MD
Internal medicine · 1301 Armory Drive, Franklin
Alan Edwards, MD
Internal medicine · 118 Fairview Drive, Franklin
Tracy Rau
Family medicine · 102 Fairview Drive, Franklin
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 Como, NC 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.
Colonial Pharmacy
6.3 mi
6.8 mi 
12 mi Franklin Hometown Pharmacy
12 mi
12 mi Showing the 5 closest pharmacies to Como, NC.
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 Como, 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.
From $0 insured
Telehealth PrEP & DoxyPEP with at-home testing and ongoing monitoring
Visit from $0 insured
Telehealth STI treatment and sexual-health care, delivered or to your pharmacy
Visit from $39
Online STI treatment & DoxyPEP: same-day prescriptions to your pharmacy
$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 Hertford County, the county that includes Como, compare with North Carolina and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~9% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#7 of 100 North Carolina counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 93% of the state
| Infection | Hertford County | North Carolina | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 1079.5 210 cases ▲ 78% | 607.9 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 472.9 92 cases ▲ 94% | 243.2 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 25.7 5 cases ▲ 29% | 19.9 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 30.8 6 cases ▲ 95% | 15.8 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 20.6 4 cases ▼ 14% | 24 | 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 Hertford County, chlamydia has risen from 1044 to 1079.5 per 100,000 (3%), gonorrhea has risen from 394.4 to 472.9 per 100,000 (20%), and P&S syphilis has risen from 9.4 to 25.7 per 100,000 (173%).
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 Hertford County.
Local HIV snapshot
Hertford County HIV care continuum (2023)
Among Hertford County residents living with HIV, 62.2% are in care · 52% 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 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 Hertford County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Como's rhythm runs on the water and the seasons: fishing, timber work, and the trades that anchor families here. That steady pace leaves little room for health concerns to surface until they demand attention. STD testing in and around Como is listed on this page, and the clinics available serve people who need straightforward, private screening without fanfare or delay. Young adults in Como, those in their late teens through their thirties, often find themselves at a practical crossroads: a new job, a shift in circumstances, or simply the clarity that routine screening belongs in their annual care. Confidentiality matters here not as an abstract principle but as a real condition of access.
A person tested knows that results remain theirs alone, unshared with employers, neighbors, or anyone else in town. The providers and testing sites listed offer a way forward when uncertainty or concern surfaces. Whether someone needs a quick baseline or has a specific reason to know their status, the clinics in and around Como handle STI screening as routine medical work. No judgment, no gossip, just the straightforward care that any community member deserves.
Getting there
At 5.19/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Como 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 27818 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 27818 area around Como: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Como alone.
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Como? 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 Hertford County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under North Carolina 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 Como-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 Como 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 North Carolina 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 North Carolina, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
North Carolina 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 North CarolinaSource: 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.
Yes, several local labs offer same-day walk-in testing; best to call first.
Free at public clinics. Private labs run about $24 for one test and $139 for a full panel; at-home kits are $49+.
Public clinics serve people without insurance, often on a sliding scale.
A full panel typically covers chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B and C.
Hertford County reported ~1,080 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, above the North Carolina average.
In North Carolina, people under 18 can consent to confidential STD testing and treatment on their own.
Yes, PrEP, a daily pill that helps prevent HIV in HIV-negative people, is available in the area.
Most results are ready in about 1–2 days.
Little prep is needed, bring an ID and insurance if you have it, and note your exposure dates and any symptoms; for a urine test, avoid peeing for about an hour beforehand.
Telling recent partners lets them test and treat; many health departments offer confidential partner-notification help.
Have a different question? Browse the full STD & STI FAQ library, every question we answer, in one place.