MS Family Medicine Healthcare is pleased to announce that we will offer Concierge COVID-19 Testing.
Services Include:
- COVID-19 Testing at your special event (wedding, retirement party, birthday)
- At-home-COVID Testing
- Travel-related COVID-19
- COVID-19 Testing for small groups
Many people may be confused about the different types of COVID-19 testing and whether the tests are accurate. MS Family Medicine Health Care P.C. in Rosedale and Garden City can help you sort through the information, explain the pros and cons of each test, and recommend the best one for you. If you have questions or need to schedule an appointment, call the office or use the online booking feature today.
When should I get tested for COVID-19?
You should get tested for COVID-19 if you have any of the following symptoms:
Fever
Fatigue
Dry cough
Difficulty breathing
Loss of smell or taste
Muscle aches
Headache
Sore throat
Skin rash
Discoloration of fingers and toes
Congestion or runny nose
- Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea
Though not as common, you can also have neurological symptoms like dizziness, changes in vision, and delirium.
Had close contact with someone who has COVID-19
Close contact means that you were closer than six feet for 15 minutes or longer. If you were that close to someone who is diagnosed with COVID-19, you should get tested.
Participated in a high-risk activity
You should get tested if you took part in an activity where you couldn’t stay six feet apart from others, or you were in a crowd where people didn’t wear masks.
Were asked to get tested
Your physician or someone from your local health department who’s doing contact tracing may call and ask you to get tested.
Both the rapid tests and the PCR tests check your sample for the presence of SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.
MS Family Medicine Health Care P.C. offers the rapid COVID-19 test and PCR COVID-19 test to patients at their practice location in Rosedale and Garden City.
What is the rapid COVID-19 test?
The rapid COVID-19 test is also called an antigen test because it identifies the presence of SARS-CoV-2 fragments (antigens). This test can produce results within 15 minutes when it’s analyzed in the office. It takes a few days to get results if the test is sent to a lab.
Your provider does this test by inserting a swab through your nose and guiding it to the back of your throat. Then they gently rotate the swab, allowing it to collect secretions.
When a rapid COVID-19 test is properly processed, it produces reliable results. However, the results are less sensitive than other tests and may produce a false negative.
The rapid test is most likely to give inaccurate results when you’re infected but don’t have symptoms. In some cases, your provider may ask you to get another test to verify your results.
What type of COVID-19 test is the PCR?
This test is extremely accurate because it detects genetic material from SARS-CoV-2. Your provider collects a fluid sample by swabbing your throat or nose, or by asking you to spit into a tube.
Your sample is then analyzed using a lab technique called polymerase chain reaction (PCR). Your results are available in a very short time if your sample is analyzed on-site. If it goes to an outside lab, it takes a few days.
If you need to schedule a COVID-19 test or would like to find out more about our Concierge COVID-19 testing services call MS Family Medicine Health Care P.C. or schedule an appointment online today.
