Coronavirus Testing: Nasal Swab & Antibody Testing

At iCare ER and Urgent Care, we offer COVID-19 testing in a safe, clean environment. We administer nasal swab tests or blood antibody tests, depending on the reason you’re being tested. This means we can test anyone: those who do not have active symptoms, and those who do.

If you believe that you’ve been exposed to Coronavirus (COVID-19), then we invite you to take a moment to reserve an appointment online at our locations in Frisco or Fort Worth.

The test administration depends on your symptoms and the length of time since exposure. Here is what you need to know about the differences between nasal swab testing and blood antibody testing:

Nasal Swab Coronavirus Testing

Nasal swab testing is designed for patients with an active infection. This test is quick and painless, but it is a little uncomfortable when the sample is taken.

A soft-tipped swab on a long stick is inserted through the nostril, using the swab to collect the secretions from the back of your nose and upper throat areas. While the swab is inserted in the nose, it needs to be twirled a few times to cover the surface in secretions.

Testing Purpose: The nasal swab is ideal for patients with current infections and who might be contagious with the virus.
Detection Timeline: The virus can be detected using a nasal swab test 2 – 3 days after the person is exposed to COVID-19.

Results Turnaround: Most patients receive their results within 2 to 3 days. This process might be delayed depending on the volume of tests moving through the lab.

Negative Results: If you receive a negative report on the results, it means that the virus wasn’t found in the sample. A negative test doesn’t rule out the presence of COVID-19 in the body, so a nasal swab test is not the sole basis for determining the proper treatment and management plan.

Coronavirus Antibody Testing

Antibody testing is recommended for patients who have previously been infected with the virus. This process checks a sample of your blood to identify antibodies, which indicate an earlier infection with the virus. Antibodies occur naturally in the blood as small proteins that fight infection. This test is done using a blood draw to get a sample.

Testing Purpose: The test doesn’t look for the virus itself, instead it is looking to see if you’ve had an immune response to the infection.

Detection Timeline: The test can’t detect the antibodies until at least 10 days after a patient has been exposed to COVID-19.

Results Turnaround: Patients typically receive their results within 2 – 4 days. Turnaround time might be delayed due to the high volume of testing.

Negative Results: Depending on the timing of the test and where a patient is located, this test might not find antibodies when a current COVID-19 infection is present. As such, antibody testing is not the sole basis used for determining the optimal treatment and management for each patient.

Antibody testing is $169 for self-pay patients, and free with most major insurance providers.

For more information about COVID-19 testing at iCare or to book an appointment for Coronavirus testing in Fort Worth or Frisco, visit our COVID-19 – What You Need to Know page.
Immediate Recommendations after Coronavirus Testing
After visiting our clinic for COVID-19 testing, there is no need to come back to our office for testing results. We will call you when the results have been received, giving you either a positive or a negative report.

It is recommended that you maintain a self-quarantine until you receive the results. Even if you aren’t experiencing any symptoms, it is possible that you are positive for the virus and could be passing the infection to other people.

Corporate On-Site Coronavirus Testing

COVID-19 testing is available at both our Frisco and Fort Worth offices. Additionally, our team offers corporate on-site testing for local businesses. It is important to maintain a safe, healthy environment for employees and customers.

Testing gives peace of mind to the business owners, managers, and employees. Additionally, employee testing is a great way to help your customers feel safe when purchasing products or services from your company.

Our skilled staff offers efficient systems to quickly test many people. For example, we recently completed on-site testing for a company with 240 employees. Testing was done in two hours with minimal disruption to the productivity of the workday.

If you own a business and you are interested in on-site COVID-19 testing, then please contact us at Lgreen@icare-er.com.

Medical Care for Your Entire Family

Our board-certified doctors in Frisco and Fort Worth are always here to assist you for emergency room care or urgent care. In addition to COVID-19 testing, we offer a variety of other services through our urgent care and emergency room.

If it’s an emergency, then you should call 911 or visit our ER right away. For non-emergency services, walk-ins are welcome or you can use our online sign-in before coming to the office.

We are working hard to maintain the highest levels of cleanliness to ensure the safety of our patients. Rest assured knowing that we are following all recommendations provided by the CDC.