Recently I’ve had a handful of patients tell me they got same-day rapid COVID-19 tested at a nearby business and were very excited to report that they were “COVID negative.” I was immediately skeptical because the availability of true COVID-19 rapid tests in my area is slim, and usually reserved for the ER and hospital admission process. Here’s the gist of our exchange:
- Me: Wow – you really got same day COVID tested? Where?
- Patient: Well, yeah I think, I mean the sign says COVID TESTS in huge letters
- Me (increasingly skeptical): Do you happen to remember what the doctor or nurse called the test?
- Patient: There was no doctor or nurse, I just paid $50 cash and got my test results on a piece of paper and left.
- Me (passed skeptical 5 min ago): Was the test up your nose or from your blood?
- Patient: It was just a little finger-stick I did myself.
This patient and others were all under the impression that they were getting tested for active COVID-19. In short, what happened with this patient is that they actually got the COVID-19 Antibody test – NOT tested for active COVID-19. This is a very important distinction.
So what’s the difference? Let’s break it down.
- COVID-19 Serologic Antibody Test
- Purpose: to detect antibodies to COVID-19 and identify past infection with COVID-19. Antibody tests should not be used to diagnose someone with acute (current, active) infection.
- Method: blood test
- Benefit: may be able to donate blood for convalescent plasma; identify past infection
- Time to Result: depends on your area and testing center
- Important Caveat: at this time, we DO NOT have evidence to suggest having COVID-19 antibodies means someone has “immunity.” This is currently being researched by people a lot smarter than me.
- Tip: If you’re interested in antibody testing, ask your primary doctor for a recommendation on where to get tested. Not all places offer the same quality of antibody test.
- COVID-19 Viral Test
- Purpose: testing for acute (current, active) infection
- Method: Nasal swab (up your nose), Nasopharyngeal swab (most common right now. It’s up your nose…higher), Oral swab
- Benefit: identifying active COVID-19 infection
- Time to Result: depends on your area and testing center
- Important Caveat: we have seen cases where patients continue to test positive even weeks after their symptoms have improved. I always recommend talking to your primary doctor about your specific situation.
With both tests there can be false positives and false negatives. It’s important to talk about your results with the ordering physician or your primary care doctor so they can put your results into context for you.
I really hope this helps some of you with the testing process, and leaves readers with a better understanding of the nuances between the different tests. The healthcare system in general can be really difficult to navigate, and when you throw in a global pandemic – OOF, it just gets more complicated! Unfortunately, there are companies and businesses out there that will try to exploit and manipulate the situation for profit.
As always, please remember that medicine is always in flux and this information may change down the line. As we learn more about this virus and continue to develop innovative methods for testing and treatment, things will change – and that’s a good thing!
How have your COVID-19 testing experiences been so far? Let me know in the comments below!
Hi Sony, Richard and I had a COVID swab test at a Rite Aid testing facility. We registered online for the test, printed out our information and our appointment times. When we arrived at the testing site, we stayed in our car and showed the testers our information that we had printed and our drivers licenses. We moved from one area to another. The tests were given to us to perform ourselves in our car. We were given instructions and then told what to do with the swabs from our nose. We returned the kit to the Testers. We then received the results three days later by email. Our daughter, Jennifer , has Lupus and we wanted to visit with their family. That was the reason we had the test. We were not feeling I’ll. Trying to be cautious parents. Out tests were negative. It was a very professional testing site.