Many Long Islanders have started going back to school and to work, but what happens if they get sick and need to prove they don't have coronavirus?

Some urgent care facilities, like one in Farmingdale, offer rapid COVID-19 molecular tests which produce results in about 15 minutes.

On Thursday, News 12 spoke with a doctor at AFC Urgent Care, which has been administering this quick test since early April.

It's a nasal swab, and they say it has a sensitivity level of about 90 to 95%.

The big difference between this and a standard COVID-19 test is that the sample is processed in the doctor's office rather than being sent out to a lab. So people can get results in minutes, instead of waiting for days, or in some cases more than a week.

This is useful for people who want to travel. Some foreign countries are letting Americans in if they can show they tested negative for COVID-19 within 72 hours of arrival.

Dr. Robert Levy, of AFC Urgent Care, says some children have also been getting the quick test, so they can safely return to school.

"We have seen a number of students in local schools who are sent in for either fevers or other upper respiratory type symptoms. In almost all cases it turns out to be regular viral infections like a cold, but we definitely have seen schools sending in students to ensure it is not COVID-19," he says.

Dr. Levy acknowledges their tests are not as sensitive as lab tests, but he says they are still reliable. Dr. James Crawford, of Northwell Health, agrees.

“The rapid testing is 98% accurate and the lab-based testing is 99% so there will be more false positives but it's a small difference," he said.

Federal law says health insurance plans must cover COVID-19 testing and related services at no additional cost to the patient.