COVID-19 Testing

We offer in-house COVID-19 testing.  There are two types of tests that we perform; the antibody and ID NOW COVID-19 tests.

Antibody Testing

The antibody test is a blood test that is performed for patients who would like to know if they have been exposed to COVID-19.  The test will recognize if antibodies to the COVID-19 virus are present in your blood which means  your body has built an immunity to the disease.  The length and resilience of the immunity is still being studied and is different from person to person.

ID NOW COVID-19 Testing

The ID NOW COVID-19 test is a molecular method which is one of the most accurate types of testing for patients who are currently symptomatic.  This test is for patients who want to determine if their current illness is COVID-19.  This test is performed by collecting nasal or oral swabs.

If you are experiencing any of the following symptoms, the ID NOW COVID-19 test may be used to detect the virus and diagnose your condition.

  • Fever or chills
  • Cough
  • Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
  • Fatigue
  • Muscle or body aches
  • Headache
  • New loss of taste or smell
  • Sore throat
  • Congestion or runny nose
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Diarrhea

People with these symptoms may have COVID-19.   Symptoms may appear 2 – 14 days after exposure to the virus.  Learn more and stay up-to-date directly from the Centers of Disease Control website.

Who should get the ID NOW COVID-19 test?

According to the CDC, not everyone needs to be tested but the following considerations will help make the decision.  Those who should consider the test are:

  • People who have symptoms of COVID-19.
  • People who have had close contact (within 6 feet for a total of 15 minutes or more) with someone with confirmed COVID-19.
  • People who have taken part in activities that put them at higher risk for COVID-19 because they cannot socially distance as needed, such as travel, attending large social or mass gatherings, or being in crowded indoor settings.
  • People who have been asked or referred to get testing by their healthcare provider, local or state health department.

How is the ID NOW COVID-19 test different?

This is a molecular test designed to detect the virus that causes COVID-19 in respiratory specimens collected by nasal or oral swabs.  The FDA has provided more details for patients regarding this testing method.  For more information about this test, click the link below.

Fact Sheet about ID NOW COVID-19 testing for Patients

How accurate is the ID NOW COVID-19 Test?

This is one of the most accurate tests for COVID-19 performing up to 98.4% accurate.  For more details, read the statement below from Abbot, the manufacturer of the ID NOW COVID-19 test.

Who to Call

If you suspect you have been exposed to COVID-19, call our office at 208-528-8170 and we will provide you with further instructions for either the antibody or ID NOW COVID-19 tests.

What about the COVID-19 vaccine?

If you are interested in the COVID-19 vaccine, contact the Eastern Idaho Health Department. They will put you on a list of interested recipients and will contact you when the vaccine is available.
The Eastern Idaho Public Health phone number is 208-522-0310. Unfortunately, we do not currently have the vaccine available in our office to administer.

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FDA-CLIA Note Statement

“This test has been authorized by the FDA under an Emergency Use Authorization (EUA).   Negative results should be treated as presumptive and, if inconsistent with clinical signs and symptoms or necessary for patient management, should be tested with different authorized or cleared molecular tests.  Negative results do preclude SARS-CoV-2 infection and should not be used as the sole basis for treatment for patient management decisions.  Negative results should be considered in the context of a patient’s recent exposures, history, and the presence of clinical signs and symptoms consistent with COVID-19.”

Abbot Post-Authorization Study Data

“Abbot has completed an interim analysis of its ID NOW post-authorization study.  A total of 1,003 people were evaluated across two care environments:  urgent care clinics (acute care) and hospitals and nursing homes (in-patient care).  In these two care environments, the ID NOW delivered the following agreement to lab-based molecular PCR tests:

  • Overall performance of 93.3% positive agreement (sensitivity) and 98.4% negative agreement (specificity). Further in the 161 patients with high viral titers (Ct <33), and therefore most likely to transmit virus, ID NOW showed performance of 97.0% positive agreement (sensitivity).
  • Performance of 95.0% positive agreement (sensitivity) and 97.9% negative agreement (specificity) in subjects within seven days post symptom onset.  Further, in the 129 patients with high viral titers (Ct <33), and therefore most likely to transmit virus, ID NOW showed performance of 98.4% positive agreement (sensitivity).
  • Performance of 94.6% positive agreement (sensitivity) and 97.6% negative agreement (specificity) in symptomatic subjects.  Further, in the 136 patients with high viral titers (Ct <33), and therefore most likely to transmit virus, ID NOW showed performance of 97.8% positive agreement (sensitivity).”