Planning to fly? Be sure to schedule a COVID Test
December 14, 2020
First Healthcare Workers Vaccinated at Innovative Care
January 11, 2021
Innovative Express Care is excited to offer a new antibody test that offers IgG and IgM antibodies at our 1111 W. Diversey Parkway COVID testing site. This antibody test is more accurate than other tests on the market, as it looks at both IgG and IgM, and has a high specificity and sensitivity rate. We were the first in Chicago to begin antibody testing in the spring of 2020, and we are proud to continue as a local leader in antibody testing.
The Beckman Coulter IgM and IgG antibody test is extremely accurate, as it uses the spike protein which is unique to the COVID-19 virus. This is the antibody test I trust for my family, friends and patients. Here’s why:
Remarkable specificity and sensitivity
The test demonstrates 99.9% specificity and 98.3% sensitivity. This is the best out there currently. Here’s a video showing how it works: https://www.beckmancoulter.com/solutions/sars-cov-2-antibody-testing
Strength of immune response
The two approved vaccines on the market use the spike protein to create antibodies. We feel that the Beckman Coulter test will show us the strength of immune response to the vaccines.
Identification of false positives
We use the Beckman Coulter test to look for both IgM antibodies (which show up as early as 2-3 days after infection occurs) and IgG antibodies (which show up 5-7 days after initial infection). The antibody test can be used to determine if a COVID-19 rapid or PCR test indicated a false positive result, or if the patient is indeed fighting COVID-19.
Vaccine Response
We have been getting patients who have received the vaccine and want to see their immune response to this novel vaccine. We are delighted to see that all patients receiving the vaccine have a good immune response. We hope to continue to see this as more people get the COVID-19 vaccine.
Who can get the new antibody test?
The new antibody test at Innovative Express Care is available to anyone who feels they may have had COVID-19, whether they previously tested positive for the virus or not. It can also be used to confirm the presence of antibodies after receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.
Do you think you may have gotten COVID-19? Make an appointment today. Tests are performed using a simple blood draw (more accurate than a finger prick) and results are available within 1-2 days.
Schedule an appointment today
The new Beckman Coulter antibody test is only available at our 1111 W. Diversey testing clinic. If you would like this test specifically, please make an appointment at that location.
Our clinic in Downers Grove offers antibody testing, but NOT the Beckman Coulter test. The test they use is the Assure FaStep IgG/IgM, which measures IgG and IgM antibodies through a finger prick. The Assure FaStep test has a 98.8% sensitivity and 98.7% specificity for IgG, and 93.7% sensitivity and 99.1% specificity for IgM.
