COVID-19 Testing

Antigen and RT-PCR COVID-19 Testing

At Lab Express we offer the Antigen and the RT-PCR COVID-19 Test. We are CLIA Waived Certified which is a certification that allows a facility, primarily laboratories, to legally examine a person through waived tests in order to assess health, diagnose, and determine treatment.

We do not take or accept insurance. The cost for the Antigen Test is $60 and the PCR Test is $120. Results will be available in 15 minutes for the antigen test and 30 minutes for the PCR test. The results will be emailed to you or you can pick up a copy at our clinic. No appointment is necessary. There is no waiting time, you will be in and out in less than 10 minutes.

Lab Express will provide a result report which can be used for traveling, return to work, for school or before having a surgery. The RT-PCR Test is widely accepted and required for traveling in all countries and it's the most accurate test to check for an active COVID-19 infection.

Some countries requires the Antigen test 24 hours before traveling and the PCR test 72 hours before traveling. Please check with the airline or with the country you are traveling to as they are changing the rules and requirements for traveling.

If you have symptoms do not come inside the clinic, stay in your car and call us at 239-488-2457 and we come to your car.

Types of COVID-19 Tests

There are different types of tests – Diagnostic tests (RT-PCR and Antigen Tests), and Antibody tests.

Diagnostic tests can show if you have an active COVID-19 infection and need to take steps to quarantine or isolate yourself from others. Molecular (RT-PCR) and Antigen tests are types of diagnostic tests than can detect if you have an active COVID-19 infection. Samples for diagnostic tests are typically collected with a nasal or throat swab, or saliva collected by spitting into a tube.

‍Antibody tests look for antibodies in your immune system produced in response to SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. Antibody tests should not be used to diagnose an active COVID-19 infection. Antibodies can take several days or weeks to develop after you have an infection and may stay in your blood for several weeks or more after recovery. Samples for antibody tests are typically blood from a finger stick, or blood drawn by your doctor or other medical personnel.

Do COVID-19 Tests Check for the Omicron, Delta and other Variants?

Currently, COVID-19 tests are designed and authorized to check broadly for the SARS-CoV-2 virus and not for specific variants, sometimes called SARS-CoV-2 viral mutations or genetic mutations. It is common for all viruses to change and mutate over time, resulting in different virus strains.

There are no authorized COVID-19 tests that specifically report the presence of the SARS-CoV-2 omicron, delta, or other variants, in patient samples. The FDA’s SARS-CoV-2 Viral Mutations: Impact on COVID-19 Tests webpage provides technical information about certain COVID-19 tests for which the FDA has identified potential impacts on performance due to SARS-CoV-2 viral mutations. The FDA works closely with test developers to identify potential impacts of viral mutations on FDA authorized COVID-19 tests and help ensure there is minimal impact on test performance when new variants arise.

Local, state, and federal public health agencies, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), track the SARS-CoV-2 viral variants so we can understand which strains of the virus are spreading. These public health agencies use a test called whole genome sequencing to check for virus strains circulating in the community overall and not for each person.

Health care providers treat patients who have COVID-19 based on the patient’s diagnosis and symptoms and not based on the strain of virus. For more information or treatment options , please see a Health Care Provider.

Understanding Your COVID-19 Test Result

Generally, for diagnostic tests, a negative result means the test did not detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus, and a positive result means the test did detect the SARS-CoV-2 virus and you are very likely to have COVID-19.

However, no test is perfect. There is always a chance that a test will return a false result. For diagnostic tests, a false negative means the test says you don’t have COVID-19 but you are infected, and a false positive means that the test says you have COVID-19 but you are not infected.

Because of this, even if you receive a negative result, you should keep practicing preventive measures, such as distancing, washing hands, and wearing masks, to reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.

If you are sick, you should stay home and isolate from others, even if you receive a negative test result. Talk with your health care provider to determine if you should be retested or for advice on managing your symptoms.

For serology tests, a negative result means the test did not detect antibodies to the virus that causes COVID-19. A positive result means the test did detect antibodies to the virus that causes COVID-19, and it is possible that you had a recent or prior COVID-19 infection and you have developed an adaptive immune response to the virus.

We do not know how long antibodies stay in the body following infection with the virus that causes COVID-19. We do not know if antibodies give you protective immunity against the virus, so results from a serology test should not be used to find out if you have immunity from the virus. The FDA cautions patients against using the results from any serology test as an indication that they can stop taking steps to protect themselves and others, such as stopping social distancing or discontinuing wearing masks.

For more information, please visit: FDA Coronavirus Disease Covid-19 Testing Basics

COVID-19 Testing for International Travel

As of June 12, 2022, CDC will no longer require air passengers traveling from a foreign country to the United States to show a negative COVID-19 viral test or documentation of recovery from COVID-19 before they board their flight.

This means that as of 12:01AM ET on June 12, 2022, all air passengers, regardless of citizenship or vaccination status, are no longer required to show a negative viral COVID-19 test result, or documentation of recovery from COVID-19, before boarding a flight to the United States.

Before You Leave the United States.

Check the current COVID-19 situation at your destination.
Follow all requirements of conveyance operators (such as airlines, cruise lines, buses) as well as any requirements at your destination, whether traveling by air, land, or sea, including mask wearing, proof of vaccination, testing, or quarantine. Requirements may differ from U.S. requirements. If you do not follow your destination’s requirements, you may be denied entry and required to return to the United States.
If you are not vaccinated and up to date with your COVID-19 vaccines, get tested with a viral test as close to the time of departure as possible (no more than 3 days) before your trip.

For more information please visit: CDC-International Travel Requirements