Waldo, Florida, has new HIV diagnoses in Alachua County running about 28% higher than the US average. Whether you're getting your first STI test or a routine screening, weigh low-cost or free options at community and public clinics against faster results and flexible scheduling at private labs. We list your options below.
Available testing centers
7 testing options are listed for Waldo, FL. The nearest, Aza Health, is about 8.4 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.
Aza Health in Keystone Heights tests for gonorrhea, chlamydia, syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis A, B, and C. A panel that goes beyond the basic four. Appointments are required, fees run on a sliding scale, and same-visit treatment is available for bacterial STIs.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Jun 2026 · Source: CDC NPIN + HRSA
MainStreet Family Care in Starke tests for HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, chlamydia, herpes, hepatitis B, hepatitis C, and TB on a sliding-scale fee, with same-visit treatment for bacterial infections, no appointment required, and PrEP and PEP available on-site.
MainStreet Family Care prescribes PrEP, including tenofovir-based regimens, and manages PEP directly, with the ongoing HIV and kidney-function monitoring those medications require built into the same practice. Keeping prevention and monitoring at one provider means dosing schedules and lab intervals don't get fragmented across separate offices.
Leaving herpes or hepatitis B and C off a panel means a separate appointment, a separate lab, and a gap where an active infection goes unaddressed. MainStreet Family Care in Starke includes herpes, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C in its standard testing alongside HIV, syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, so a complete picture comes from a single visit.
Languages
English
Tests offered
Serves
Care services
Prevention services
Fees & payment
Listing verified Sep 2025 · Source: CDC NPIN
Palms Medical Group - Starke, located in Starke, scales its fees to each patient's income, ensuring cost isn't a barrier to care. As a federally qualified health center, it offers sliding-scale STI screening covering syphilis, gonorrhea, and chlamydia, with no appointment required.
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 8 miles away; if you'd rather skip the trip, an at-home kit ships to Waldo, 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 range: couples & full panels
$79 & 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 Alachua 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.
4645 Northwest 8th Avenue, Gainesville, FL 32605
CMS-certified lab Accredited · COLA
4800 Southwest 35th Drive, Gainesville, FL 32608
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
4094 Southwest 41st Boulevard, Gainesville, FL 32608
CMS-certified lab Accredited · College of American Pathologists
Source: CMS CLIA registry (Provider of Services), Q1 2026. Federal public records: active CLIA-certified laboratories near Waldo. 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, 390 primary-care, OB-GYN, infectious-disease and other clinicians have a CMS practice record within 30 miles of Waldo. They may be able to evaluate symptoms or order a confidential STD panel during a regular visit, and 136 offer telehealth.
Michael Vernacchio, DO
Family medicine · 100 Commercial Drive, Keystone Heights
George Restea, MD
Internal medicine · 6542 Triest Avenue, Keystone Heights
Joelle Innocent Simon, MD Telehealth
Family medicine · 1550 South Water Street, Starke
Charles Franson, DO
Family medicine · 1554 South Water Street, Starke
Victor Estevez Telehealth
Internal medicine · 808 Colley Road, Starke
Paul Montoya, MD
Family medicine · 345 West Madison Street, Starke
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 Waldo, FL 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.
8.0 mi 
8.1 mi North Florida Pharmacy
8.2 miAza Health
8.4 mi
9.2 mi Showing the 5 closest pharmacies to Waldo, FL.
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 Waldo, 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 $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
Visit from $39
Online STI treatment & DoxyPEP: same-day prescriptions to your pharmacy
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 Alachua County, the county that includes Waldo, compare with Florida and U.S. averages, based on the most recent 2023 surveillance data. An estimated ~14% of residents are aged 15–34 (ACS), the age group with the highest reported chlamydia and gonorrhea rates nationally.
#4 of 67 Florida counties for chlamydia, a higher rate than 94% of the state
| Infection | Alachua County | Florida | United States |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chlamydia | 916.1 2,620 cases ▲ 84% | 498.9 | 492.2 |
| Gonorrhea | 331.8 949 cases ▲ 61% | 206.7 | 179.5 |
| Syphilis (P&S) | 27.6 79 cases ▲ 43% | 19.3 | 15.8 |
| Syphilis (early) | 11.9 34 cases ▼ 53% | 25.1 | 16 |
| Syphilis (late/unknown) | 20.6 59 cases ▼ 45% | 37.7 | 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 Alachua County, chlamydia has risen from 907.5 to 916.1 per 100,000 (1%), gonorrhea has fallen from 341.5 to 331.8 per 100,000 (3%), and P&S syphilis has fallen from 30.9 to 27.6 per 100,000 (11%).
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 Alachua County.
Local HIV snapshot
Alachua County HIV care continuum (2023)
Alachua County recorded 17.6 new HIV diagnoses per 100,000 (2023), against 22.7 statewide and 13.7 nationally. Among Alachua County residents living with HIV, 83.4% are in care · 72.3% 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 Alachua County tests for syphilis.
Source: CDC NCHHSTP AtlasPlus, 2023 (county-level congenital syphilis is not published).
Local resources & officials
Data & references
Local context
Northeast 138th Terrace anchors one of the more settled corners of Waldo, where a sizable share of households are renters paying modest monthly rents. Enough to keep budgets lean without leaving much cushion for unexpected medical bills. That cost reality shapes how people think about health care: a visit feels like a line item to weigh, not a given. With nearly four people sharing the average household and fewer than one in four adults married, many Waldo residents are navigating shared living arrangements and evolving relationships.
Exactly the life stage when routine STI screening matters most but is easiest to defer. The young adults here (people in their late teens and twenties forming new partnerships, sometimes working irregular hours given a labor-force participation rate that leaves a notable share outside traditional employment) benefit most from options that don't require planning around a rigid nine-to-five schedule. Affordable access removes the cost calculation that would otherwise give someone a reason to wait. The options listed on this page reflect that geography: knowing which clinic is reachable on a given day, and how far the drive runs, is what actually determines whether screening happens at all.
Getting there
At 4/20 on the EPA walkability index, day-to-day errands in Waldo 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 32694 snapshot
ZIP-level Census figures for the wider 32694 area around Waldo: a single ZIP can span several communities, so they describe the area, not Waldo alone.
Waldo sits in Alachua County, ZIP 32694. Local context that shapes where residents test:
Local landmarks
Major routes
Nearby cities & towns
Just outside Waldo? 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 Alachua County: the CDC's screening guidelines, each infection's detection window, per-test reference prices, and your privacy rights under Florida 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 Waldo-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 Waldo 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 Florida 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 Florida, a minor of any age can consent to confidential STI testing and treatment on their own, no parental permission is required.
Florida 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 FloridaSource: 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.
Usually yes, it can be billed to insurance, or paid out of pocket at a flat rate.
Yes, free HIV testing is available at public clinics in the area.
A full panel typically covers chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV, and hepatitis B and C.
Alachua County reported ~916 chlamydia cases per 100,000 in 2023, above the Florida average.
In Florida, 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.