COVID-19 Antibody Testing Now Available at Bingham Healthcare
BLACKFOOT, ID – April 29, 2020 – Bingham Healthcare is now offering COVID-19 antibody testing at all primary care clinics throughout Eastern Idaho. The test is also available at Bingham’s three urgent cares located in Blackfoot, Idaho Falls, and Pocatello. For a list of all offices offering the test throughout East Idaho, please call (208) 785-4100 or click here.
“You might be wondering why you should consider getting an antibody test,” says Dr. Kenneth Newhouse, chief medical officer at Bingham Healthcare. “These tests will provide more information about the virus and where it has spread, enabling public health experts to make better decisions on how to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.”
The antibody test is not a diagnostic tool and cannot be used to determine if you are currently sick. Instead, this test looks to see whether someone’s immune system—the body’s defense against illness—has developed antibodies that would have been used to fight the novel coronavirus.
The antibody test being administered at Bingham is one of the most effective tests currently available, with reliability of 99% when the test is performed greater than 4 weeks post infection. The test itself is a simple blood draw, which is then sent to the lab for analysis and takes 3 to 4 days to process the results. The cost for the test is $90 and is covered by most insurances.
To schedule an antibody test, call a Bingham primary care provider. If someone does not have a primary care provider, they can easily see one of Bingham’s doctors, or call one of their urgent cares.
“Despite everything going on with COVID-19, I, as well as all of the healthcare providers at Bingham Healthcare, want to reassure you that the hospitals and doctors’ offices in East Idaho are among the safest places to be right now,” says Jake Erickson, chief executive officer at Bingham Healthcare. “Even if you decide not to get an antibody test, pay attention to your overall general health. It’s important to remember to continue seeing your doctors for other health-related issues so they don’t become worse.”
In addition to antibody testing, active COVID-19 tests to determine if you currently have the virus are available at Bingham’s emergency room in Blackfoot and their urgent cares in Blackfoot, Idaho Falls, and Pocatello. If you think you are experiencing symptoms associated with COVID-19, and would like to be tested, please call your primary care provider.
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