So, it’s time to grab a COVID test. You’re traveling, you’re symptomatic, or you’ve got a loved one that you’re concerned about infecting. Where to begin?
One thing that you likely already know for sure: you’ve got options. Here’s how to take the first step. Which COVID vaccine do I need?
Different types of COVID-19 tests
COVID tests come in two primary forms: viral tests and antibody tests.
The main difference between these two is in the types of cells that they’re designed to detect—SARS-CoV-2 itself, or the antibodies that the body produces in response.
Viral COVID-19 tests
Viral tests are used to confirm a current infection. You swab your mouth or nostril and the specimen is examined for the presence of the virus.
There are two different types of viral tests for COVID:
- Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAAT): This type of COVID-19 test is able to detect COVID’s signature RNA code in the upper and lower respiratory tract. There are many different types of NAATs, the most common one being an (RT-PCR) test. These COVID tests are usually considered to be the most accurate and sensitive. They take several days to yield your result.
- Antigen Tests: These tests are immunoassays, a type of test in which an antigen is sent to a lab to be cultured. These tests, also known as rapid antigen tests, may be administered either at the point-of-care or at home; they will often deliver results within an hour. You should choose this test if your symptoms are minor or have not advanced significantly.
If you’ve already got symptoms, need a negative COVID test for school, travel, or work, or have been in close contact with somebody who has contracted the virus, a viral test is the way to go.
To find a viral test in your city, check out your local COVID-19 directory, or just give us a call here.
Antibody COVID tests
Antibody tests may sometimes be called serology tests. They’re used to determine whether or not a patient has had a COVID infection in the past, not in order to diagnose a patient’s current status.
Instead of picking up on the viral units that cause COVID-19, an antibody test seeks out the antibodies that your body produces in response to the virus. After having a blood sample drawn, you’ll have your results in no longer than a week.
Antibody tests will be readily available from your physician or any other healthcare center, as well as through Covid Clinic. To get tested yourself, we recommend getting in touch.
In the meantime…
If you’ve got travel plans to look forward to or work requirements to fulfill, look no further than Covid Clinic’s stellar service. With over [X] locations all across the country, it’s likely that we’re already right in your backyard.
We gladly serve walk-ins, but if you’d like to book an appointment for a COVID-19 test at no cost to you, our team is on the line. We’ve got your back this year.
