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Getting sick in Vegas is not fun! If you’re in the big city, whether on business, pleasure, or because you live here, you may be looking for a quick way to get tested to rule out Covid-19.
While the drive-through Covid testing sites have shut down, the government has suspended the free at-home test program, and testing requirements for Covid-19 have dropped off, My Virtual Physician aims to provide easy access to Covid testing for those who want to be checked.
With the recent opening of its Hybrid Clinic, located at 2217 Paradise Road in Las Vegas, you can now walk-in to get your Covid testing done right on the Vegas strip.
My Virtual Physician’s hybrid clinic in Las Vegas offers three Covid testing options for your choosing. We can do:
PCR tests are most accurate, but they should be avoided if you tested positive within 90 days since they can still detect prior viral genetic material for that length of time.
Antigen tests are not as reliable and may require multiple tests to confirm results. The CDC recommends repeating this test after 48 hours to ensure an accurate reading.
At-home tests can be purchased over the counter or picked up at our hybrid clinic in Las Vegas. These are antigen tests and can give you results in under 30 minutes from the comfort of your own home. These are ideal if you are picking the test up for someone who prefers to stay at home.
The CDC has updated the Covid-19 testing information and now recommends that you get tested if you have symptoms. Common Covid-19 symptoms include:
Before you visit someone who is at a high risk of severe Covid-19, such as the elderly or immunocompromised, get a Covid test.
If you’re looking to treat your covid-19 symptoms, My Virtual Physician can help with that as well. Our clinic doors are open if you’re in town and need to get tested and consult virtually with our doctors. Treatment must begin within a few days (five to seven days, depending on treatment) after you first have symptoms and is reserved for those who are at higher risk of becoming very sick. Treatment reduces your risk of hospitalization or death from Covid-19.
If you’re not eligible for Covid-19 treatment, our doctors can help you manage your symptoms with a care plan tailored to your experience. Check your eligibility by comparing your situation to the criteria below:
Our physicians can help determine whether you would benefit from Covid-19 treatment, and if so, prescribe the appropriate treatment. Come see us today at our Covid testing site in Las Vegas or schedule your appointment online to address your symptoms and get treatment after a positive at-home test result.
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Rapid Antigen COVID-19 Tests: Update on Authorized and Unauthorized Tests
Rapid antigen tests (RATs) provide a cost-effective and convenient way to screen for COVID-19 in the comfort of your own home. A simple kit, complete with a nasal swab, solution, and easy-to-read result tray, can provide a quick ‘yes’ or ‘no’ when you are wondering if your sniffles are due to seasonal allergies or the latest variant of SARS-CoV-2 (the virus which causes COVID-19). As such, RATs have proved a valuable tool for managing our new so-called pandemic life.
In addition to the eight free rapid antigen tests (RATs) available from the government, RATs can be purchased over the counter at local or online pharmacies or retailers such as Walgreens, CVS, Target, Amazon, or Wal-Mart.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has continued to grant emergency use authorization of rapid antigen tests for COVID-19 as new data emerges. Recently, several RATs have been authorized; conversely, several have had their letters of emergency use authorization revoked.
FDA list of currently approved RATs:
FDA list of RATs that have had their emergency use authorizations revoked (no longer authorized):
Recall that rapid antigen tests may be negative very early on in an infection. In the case of exposure to COVID-19, it is recommended to check a RAT 2-3 days after the exposure (if you remain asymptomatic) and then continue to test every day or every other day for six days hence. If you have been exposed to COVID-19 and are experiencing symptoms, a negative RAT test may be a false negative and should be followed by a PCR (if available).
The Cost of COVID-19 Testing:
To date, the U.S. government has funded a huge COVID-19 relief effort, including covering the cost of medically indicated COVID-19 testing for Americans with and without health insurance under the CARES Act and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, respectively. In March 2022, however, the House passed a federal spending bill that omitted ongoing funding for the program which pays for uninsured individuals to obtain COVID-19 testing, treatment, and vaccinations. The White House is working to secure additional funding, but if the program ends it will mean the end of free testing and treatments for millions of Americans.
The burden of COVID-19 testing costs, however, isn’t limited to the uninsured. Individuals with insurance may need to self-pay for COVID-19 testing if it is needed for a non-medical indication, such as travel or a return-work program, neither of which are included in the insurance coverage mandate.
So exactly what is the cost of a COVID-19 test?
The answer is that the cost varies hugely, even for the exact same type of test.
Consumer Reports recently investigated the out-of-pocket cost of COVID-19 tests. One of the issues they found is that testing manufacturers and labs are allowed to set their own prices and insurance providers are required to cover testing costs at the price set by the company. In addition, the number of FDA-approved tests is fairly limited, meaning that demand has consistently outstripped supply during COVID-19 surges. This combination has allowed companies to engage in price gouging, preying on desperate consumers.
A study by America’s Health Insurance Plans in July 2021 found that “On average, a COVID-19 test in the commercial market costs $130. In contrast, out-of-network test providers charged significantly higher (more than $185) prices for more than half (54%) of COVID-19 tests in March 2021—a 12% increase since the beginning of the pandemic. ”
More recently, in December 2021, Mira (a low-cost health care coverage provider) reported on a survey they conducted of the top twenty-three urgent care facilities in the United States to determine the out-of-pocket cost of COVID-19 diagnostic tests. They found that “the average reported cost of a PCR test is $137, and the average cost of a rapid antigen test is $189. Overall, most urgent care clinics offer diagnostic testing at a price between $100-$200.”
In addition to the above, the availability of at-home tests has increased and may provide a lower-cost option if paying out of pocket. Rapid antigen tests (RATS) typically run ~$10 per test. Three at-home molecular tests are currently FDA approved for emergency use and do not require a prescription. These are more sensitive for detecting early COVID-19 infection but are considerably more expensive, ~$75-100 on average.
Bottom line: When purchasing a COVID-19 test, consider what type of test is best suited to your needs and then do a brief cost comparison before paying top dollar.
At the most basic level, there are two categories of COVID-19 tests; a diagnostic test and an antibody test. A diagnostic test can diagnose a current infection, whereas an antibody test can tell you whether your immune system has been exposed to COVID-19 (either via infection or vaccine) in the past. An antibody test cannot be used to diagnose a current infection.
Diagnostic tests include PCR (polymerase chain reaction) and antigen tests.
PCR is considered the “gold standard” for diagnosing infection with COVID-19. It is a molecular test that looks for COVID-19’s genetic material (RNA). PCR is very sensitive, meaning that almost everyone who actually has a COVID-19 infection will have a positive test. PCR tests are analyzed in a lab and are most often performed in a health care setting, such as a clinic, doctors’ office, pharmacy, or designated testing center. If performed at home, the sample kit will need to be mailed to a lab for analysis. The samples are most commonly collected via a nasopharyngeal swab (the swab is inserted into the nostril and up toward the back of the nose) or a salivary sample. Result turnaround can vary from ~ 1-7 days. Due to the labor of the processing, they are fairly expensive, around $150 (without insurance coverage). During COVID-19 peaks, PCR results have often been quite delayed when testing capacity has not been able to meet high demand.
Antigen tests have the advantage of speed, with results available in ~ 15 minutes. Instead of genetic material, antigen tests search for protein pieces from the COVID-19 virus. They can be purchased over the counter, are performed at home via a nasal swab, and are less expensive than PCR tests, with prices running around $20-24 per kit (two tests per kit). Antigen tests are similar in design and appearance to a home pregnancy test, with a colored line designating ‘positive’ or ‘negative’ showing in the box at the top once the sample is finished processing. Antigen tests are less sensitive than PCR tests and may be negative early on in an infection.
If you are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and have a negative antigen test, it is recommended to obtain a PCR test and continue to isolate until the result of the PCR test is known (if results are delayed, then continue to isolate for 5 days at minimum, with symptoms resolving and 24 hours free of fever prior to ending isolation; continue wearing a well-fitting mask for an additional five more days after the isolation period has ended).
Because PCR tests are so sensitive, they can remain positive for up to twelve weeks after a person has recovered from COVID-19 and is no longer contagious. If you have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and subsequently recovered, an antigen test is the best test to determine if you are still shedding enough virus to transmit COVID-19 to other people.
If you haven't yet been in the situation where you've received 'the call', the one in which someone you were recently in close contact with rings you a day or two later to let you know they tested positive for COVID-19 (these days, this means positive for the highly transmissible Omicron variant), it’s highly likely that you may be in the coming weeks. Both Dr. Janet Woodcock, acting head of the FDA, and Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Biden's chief medical adviser, stated recently that they expect the majority of Americans will eventually be infected with COVID-19. Mercifully, Omicron infection appears to cause less severe disease than previous variants and a large swath of the population has a degree of protective immunity, either through vaccination and/or a previous infection.
The CDC has recently updated its recommendations for quarantine following COVID-19 exposure. To briefly summarize, if you've just found out you had an exposure and you are not experiencing any symptoms (asymptomatic):
- Stay calm. It takes time for the virus to reach detectable levels. The CDC recommends testing on Day 5 (Day 0 is the day of exposure). Testing experts have noted that Omicron tends to replicate more quickly, though, and suggest that–if possible–at-home testing can begin on day three, and continue daily through day seven.
- If you are fully vaccinated and boosted, then you do not need to quarantine (again, if asymptomatic). However, it is recommended to wear a well-fitting mask, such as an N95 or KN95, for 10 days when you are around other people.
- If you are unvaccinated or vaccinated but did not receive a booster, quarantine for 5 days. If you are asymptomatic, you can stop quarantining but should continue to wear a well-fitting mask such as an N95 or KN95 around others for 5 more days.
If you develop symptoms of COVID-19 AND/OR receive a positive test, isolate for at least 5 days if you have confirmed or suspected COVID-19, regardless of vaccination status. Day 0 is counted as either the first day of symptoms or, for those without symptoms, the date of an initial positive COVID-19 test. Isolation means you stay home, separate yourself from others in your household, and – if necessary to be around them -- wear a well-fitting mask at all times. If you had COVID-19 and had symptoms, you can end isolation after 5 full days if you are fever-free for 24 hours (without taking any fever-reducing medications), provided your other symptoms have improved. If you tested positive for COVID-19 but never developed symptoms, you can end isolation after 5 full days. In all cases, you should continue wearing a well-fitting mask around others for 10 days (days 6 - 10).
Serial Testing: If you want to take a test at the end of the 5-day isolation period, it is best to use an antigen test (the more sensitive PCR test can detect very low levels of virus and will often stay positive for weeks after infection). If the test result is negative, as above, end isolation and continue mask-wearing through day 10. If the test result is positive, you should continue isolating until day 10. If you continue to test positive on an antigen test after day 10, the safest route is to continue isolation until you have a negative test result. For many people, this may not be feasible; if this is the case, experts recommend continuing to wear a highly effective mask, such as an N95 or KN95, around others, and being mindful of your contacts (eg avoid public transportation and situations where immunocompromised persons may be present).
* Please check in with your health care provider for concerning symptoms or test results
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