ROSAMOND — Residents interested in learning if they have been exposed to the COVID-19 virus and have developed antibodies to it may be tested at Rosamond Urgent Care to find out.
The clinic, at 2559 Rosamond Blvd., offers the testing for $99 self-pay, although it is also covered by many insurance plans, officials said.
It requires a simple blood draw, which is sent to another laboratory for testing. The results are back in about 24 to 48 hours.
The antibody testing may not be used to determine if someone has an active case of COVID-19; it may determine only if someone has been exposed to the virus in the past and their body has created antibodies to fight it, Nurse Practitioner Questa Walker said.
About 10 people so far have come in to be tested, and all have been negative for the antibodies, Walker said.
Most of those seeking the antibody testing are health care workers and those who feel they may have had the virus in December, before it was identified, she said.
“They displayed all the symptoms and they want to know if they had it,” she said.
In other diseases, antibodies may provide protection from reinfection. Medical officials caution, however, that because this particular virus is so new it is not yet known if the presence of those antibodies provides any type of immunity or how long they may be present after exposure to the virus.
Finding out if a person has antibodies is necessary for donating plasma, which is used to treat those with COVID-19.
There are also research purposes and for data analysis, to determine how long the antibodies remain in a body, to help better understand the virus and the possibility for conferring immunity.
The Rosamond Urgent Care is not itself affiliated with any research or donation programs.
“It’s mostly for patients’ peace of mind,” Clinic Director Martin Kleinbart said.
Patients should discuss their results with their primary care physician to gain a solid understanding of what the results mean, he said.
The Urgent Care also offers COVID-19 testing to determine if someone is actively infected with the virus, if they have the testing kits available. Testing kit supplies are still low, with hospitals given priority for them, Walker said.
The Rosamond Urgent Care is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
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