Coronavirus Latest: Maryland Urgent Care First To Offer FDA-Approved Rapid COVID-19 Test In This Region
ELKRIDGE, Md. (WJZ) -- One urgent care in Maryland will now be offering rapid testing for coronavirus.
First Call Urgent Care, with offices in Elkridge and Maple Lawn in Howard County, has purchased a limited number of rapid COVID-19 tests from a Minnesota manufacturer called Premier BioTech.
It only takes a pinprick of blood and 15 minutes to determine if someone has coronavirus. The patients must have shown symptoms for at least seven days. It's 96.8% accurate.
It also can determine whether the patient has an immune response to the virus so critical workers can get back to work safely.
"What the tests look for are the antibody response for COVID-19," Arvind Narsimhan, Medical Director of First Call Urgent Care, said.
The tests look for two antibodies, IG-G and IG-M. Lines show up next to the antibodies if a test is positive.
These tests, however, only works for people who have had at least seven days of symptoms.
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"If you came in on day one of symptoms, the test would be horribly inaccurate," Narsimhan said.
Narsimhan added that these tests allow patients to know whether to adjust their lifestyle in realtime.
"We can give individuals information that will allow them to safely go back to work, allow them to safely hug their kids and their wives and be back in society," Narsimhan said.
For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.
