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Antibody testing is not very useful in detecting ACUTE disease. Antibodies show up about 3-4 weeks after the infection starts.
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Antibody testing may not be useful in detecting disease that occurred more than 60 days ago.
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There is data suggesting that antibodies do not confer immunity, so the presence of antibodies may be brief and unhelpful in terms of preventing future infections.
Answers to Questions About Our COVID-19 Testing
Q: Do you perform COVID-19 testing?
A: Yes, we do both the active virus detection swab and the antibody blood serum test.
Q: Do you perform Rapid COVID-19 testing?
A: Yes, we do. You will have your results in as little as 15 minutes. Please Check-in online to reserve a time for you to be tested. We have a limited number of slots available daily.
Q: When should I get tested for the active virus detection?
A: If you are feeling sick with a fever, cough, trouble breathing, upper respiratory infection, loss of sense of taste or smell, or general flu like symptoms OR you have been in close contact for 15 min or more with someone who tested positive, you should get tested.
Q: Must I be exhibiting symptoms before I can get an active virus detection swab test?
A: No, anyone can be tested. Please Check-in online to reserve a time for you to be tested.
Q: How much does it cost with insurance to get the active virus swab test?
A: Most of the major insurance companies are waiving copays, coinsurance, and deductibles for active virus detection testing, but not for the antibody test. It is likely that you will not have to pay anything at the time of service for an active virus swab test. You would need to pay your urgent care copay or deductible for the blood antibody test. Benefits depend on your specific insurance plan.
Q: Do you accept my insurance?
A: Go to the Accepted Insurances page of our website to find out
Q: I’m Self Pay. How much does it cost without insurance to get the Rapid 15 min active virus swab test?
A: $100 Office Visit + $60 Rapid Test = $160 Total plus any extra services. If an outside lab confirmation test is needed, ADD $100 for a total of $260 plus any extra services. Confirmations are needed in certain specific situations which the Provider will discuss with you.
Q: How much does it cost without insurance to skip the rapid test and get just the outside lab PCR virus detection swab test, with results in 2-5 days?
A: $100 Office Visit + $100 Outside Lab + $20 Collection + extra services. $220+ Total.
Q: How much does it cost without insurance to get the blood antibody test?
A: $100 Office Visit + $130 Outside Lab + $20 Collection + extra service. $250 Total.
Q: What extra services might I need?
A: A in-house flu test or strep screen may be needed to properly diagnose you. An xray or medication injection are also common extra services. All of these services are posted on our website.
Q: Where do I go to see your Self-Pay prices on the website?
A: Go to the Self Pay Pricing page of our website to learn more
Q: Do you have payment plans for those without insurance?
A: No, we don’t. Payment in full is due at the time of service.
Q: Can I make an appointment to be tested?
A: No, although we have an Online Check-In service where you can reserve an approx time. We are requiring all patients wanting to be tested to please Check-in online and reserve a time for you to be tested. Your time is an estimated place in line and not an exact appointment time.
Q: Can I do a telemedicine Video Visit to get tested?
A: No, doing a Video Visit does not help in getting a test. Please Check-in online and reserve a time for you to be tested.
Q: Is there a long wait time to get tested?
A: Sometimes. We are requiring all patients wanting to be tested to please Check-in online and reserve a time for you to be tested. Your time is an estimated place in line and not an exact appointment time.
Q: Will I be seen by a Provider before the test?
A: Yes, a Doctor, Nurse Practitioner, or Physicians Assistant will evaluate you when you are tested. If you are exhibiting COVID symptoms, the nurse may swab you, as part of our standing orders, before the Provider sees you.
Q: What are the differences between antigen tests and other COVID-19 PCR molecular tests?
A: Molecular tests (also known as PCR tests) detect genetic material from the virus. Antigen tests detect proteins from the virus and provide results in as little as 15 minutes. Antigen tests are very specific for the virus but are not as sensitive as molecular tests.
Q: How long does it take to get results from the outside lab swab and/or blood test?
A: We send our specimens out to Labcorp and it takes 2-5 days and often times sooner to get results.
Q: How will you convey the results to me?
A: All results will be given to you via an encrypted email.
Q: Why does it take 2-5 days to get my result?
A: Our outside lab, Labcorp, does testing for a wide area of Texas and can’t predict when testing volumes exceed their ability to quickly turn around results.
Q: How accurate are the results for rapid testing?
Positives:
If you have a positive test result, it is very likely that you have COVID-19 because proteins from the virus that causes COVID-19 were found in your sample. Therefore, it is also likely that you may be placed in isolation to avoid spreading the virus to others. There is a very small chance that this test can give a positive result that is wrong (a false-positive result). Your provider will work with you to determine how best to care for you based on your test result(s) along with your medical history, and your symptoms.
Negatives:
A negative test result means that proteins from the virus that causes COVID-19 were not found in your sample. It is possible for this test to give a negative result that is incorrect (false negative) in some people with COVID19. This means that you could possibly still have COVID19 even though the test is negative. If your test result is negative, your healthcare provider will consider the test result together with all other aspects of your medical history (such as symptoms, possible exposures, and geographical location of places you have recently traveled) in deciding how to care for you. The amount of antigen in a sample may decrease the longer you have symptoms of infection. Specimens collected after you have had symptoms for more than seven days may be more likely to be negative compared to a molecular assay.
Q: Must I wear a mask in your clinic?
A: Yes, Dallas and Tarrant counties have issued an ordinance that requires all customers inside a business to wear a mask. Our employees are required to wear a mask.
Q: What is the difference between the active virus swab versus the antibody blood test. Can you clarify?
A: The nasopharyngeal active virus swab test (rapid or outside lab) looks for a current virus infection. This is the most common test that is requested. If you are feeling sick, have a fever, cough, trouble breathing, or having general flu like symptoms, this is the test you want in order to see if you currently have the virus. The antibody blood serum test is for if you had symptoms consistent with possible Coronavirus infection several weeks ago and looking back think you might have had COVID-19? You might be a good candidate for this test. Antibodies are developed by the body in response to a viral infection. According to the FDA, COVID-19 antibody testing may indicate that the person has been exposed to the virus in the past. It is important to note that some studies are showing that antibodies in COVID-19 patients, especially those with mild symptoms, can be very short-lived; 30-60 days, then they become undetectable.
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