COVID-19 Rapid Testing at Work & Home
Sponsored by Turó Park Clinics.
Turó Park Clinics offers COVID-19 rapid antigen testing at your home or office; get your results within 15 minutes.
With so many testing options out there for the coronavirus, it’s hard to know which test is the best option for your particular situation. We talked with the medical professionals at Turó Park Clinics to learn more about the rapid antigen tests that are now widely available in many medical centers.
What Is the COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test?
The rapid antigen test (RAT) is a diagnostic test used to detect if you are infected with the coronavirus at the time of the test. This type of test uses a mucus sample from the nose or throat to detect the existence of specific proteins (antigens) on the surface of the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
Some advantages of the rapid test are that it is both faster and less expensive than the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test; it can detect the existence of antigens in the body in a qualitative way within 15 minutes.
Who Should Take a Rapid Antigen Test?
This type of test performs best with people in the early stages of COVID-19 infection, up to five days from symptom onset, which is when the viral load is at its highest. Positive tests tend to be accurate, but negative tests need to be interpreted with caution, especially in a high-risk setting or when used on asymptomatic individuals.
For most people who do not have symptoms but want to be tested because they think they may have been exposed, the PCR test is the better choice. It is more sensitive and can find small amounts of the virus that might be seen before the onset of symptoms.
COVID-19 Rapid Antigen Test, photo by Dronepicr (CC BY 2.0) via Wikimedia Commons.
How Is the Test Conducted?
Just like the PCR tests, which are also available at Turó Park, the rapid test is carried out using a nasopharyngeal swab. The doctor carefully inserts the swab into the nostrils up to the optimal point to obtain a mucus sample. The swab is placed in an extraction buffer or reagent which then reacts to the sample, providing your results.
How Long Does It Take To Get the Result?
The RAT is the fastest COVID-19 test available, taking just 15 to 20 minutes to obtain the result. Because the test requires special training and careful handling, Turó Park doctors are specifically trained to perform this test professionally and accurately; they are well versed both with the procedure and the different types of results that can be obtained. The medical professionals at Turó Park Clinics can quickly perform the test and interpret the results in a detailed and concise manner. If the test is positive, the doctor will also offer you a personalized follow-up.
Why Do a COVID-19 test?
- You are experiencing symptoms (fever, cough, shortness of breath, chills, sore throat, muscle pain, shivering, headache or new loss of taste or smell).
- You have been in close contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19.
- You are an essential worker (health care worker, first responder, food service worker, transit worker, etc.).
- You were recently in a large crowd where social distancing was hard to maintain.
- You recently traveled to an area or a state with high COVID-19 infection rates.
- You will be using a means of transportation for which a test is required.
Which Test to Take: The RAT or PCR?
Dr. Amir Safa of Turó Park Dental & Medical Center with a rapid antigen test (RAT). Photo courtesy of Turó Park Dental & Medical Center.
Because individual circumstances vary, It is always best to talk with your health care provider about which test is best for you.
If you have determined that the rapid test is the test you need, you can receive comprehensive COVID-19 rapid antigen testing from Turó Park medical right in your own home. In order to assure that the test is handled safely and performed accurately, a doctor will come directly to you to perform the test and interpret the results. The test takes only one minute to perform, and provides you with results in 15 minutes. Once the results are ready, the doctor will explain them to you in detail.
The price of these tests includes: the test, the doctor’s visit to your home or business and a detailed interpretation of the results by a medical professional.
The doctor will visit your work or home, collect the mucus sample and explain the results to you. Testing costs are €245 for one person and €290 for two people. There is a charge of €45 per person after the second test.
The price for a rapid test for people who visit the clinic is €45.
You can book your appointment online at turoparkmedical.com.
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You can find out more about the clinic’s services and book an appointment via the website at turoparkmedical.com and follow on Twitter: @park_turo, Facebook: @turoparkmedical, Instagram @turoparkmedical and LinkedIn.
Sponsored by Turó Park Clinics.
Originally published December 2020, updated August 20, 2021.
