Physicians Quality Care in both Jackson and Milan began testing patients today for the presence of antibodies to COVID-19.
“We’ve all been waiting for this to be available,” said Dr. Jimmy Hoppers, CEO of Physicians Quality Care, “Knowing that you have antibodies to the virus can give you peace of mind – you can’t unknowingly spread the virus to someone else, and chances are good that you won’t get the virus again.”
People who are asymptomatic – meaning you’ve had no symptoms of the coronavirus for the last 10 days – can come to the either PQC urgent care location for a blood test that will check for the presence of IgG antibodies to COVID-19.
IgG antibodies are your immune system’s historical response to fighting off the presence of a virus, Dr. Hoppers said. It will take three to five days for results to come back from a CDC-accredited national testing laboratory.
“We don’t know a lot about COVID-19, but we do know that the presence of antibodies to other diseases caused by a virus – measles, mumps, flu – confers a lower risk to getting the disease,” Hoppers said, “That’s why you get a measles vaccine as a child, so your body has the ability to develop IgG antibodies to the measles.
“Though it’s not guaranteed that you will have immunity to the coronavirus with antibodies in your system, by default you will have some kind of immunity. It’s fair to compare any immunity you might have to getting immunity to the flu by getting a flu shot. “Can you still get the flu?” Yes. Will you get the flu? Probably not.””
As social restrictions are lifted, he continued, it’s important to know if you have developed natural immunity against the coronavirus.
“No pandemic ever ended in a single wave,” Hoppers said, “Experts expect the coronavirus to come back later this year. This will give us assurance going into the fall as it helps identify those who are “safe” and not likely to spread the disease.”
Testing negative for IgG antibodies is good, too, Hoppers said. “It means that what you are doing to avoid the virus is working.”
Getting the antibody blood test will be a simple office visit, Dr. Hoppers said. Most insurance companies will cover the cost of the visit; you’ll have a co-pay if your insurance company requires it.
PQC will file your visit with your insurance company. “And, it’s highly possible, the federal governmentwill pick up the cost of this antibody testing.”
Like any other urgent care patient, you will be met at the door to make sure you have no symptoms of the coronavirus. Your office visit will start with seeing a provider in an exam room and end with a blood draw by a lab technician.
“We won’t test for antibodies if you are showing symptoms,” Dr. Hoppers said. “Instead, we will recommend that you go to our secure COVID-19 Clinic to get a test for the virus.”
