PARMA HEIGHTS, Ohio — Wednesday afternoon, the advertising outside of Medcare Center in Parma Heights is loud and clear. It reads “Rapid COVID19 Testing.”
When a Seven Hills woman believed she and her 18-month-old daughter had the virus, she believed she knew where to go.
“I actually called them before I went in and explained the situation that my husband had tested positive that both my daughter and I were experiencing symptoms and that we were interested in getting a COVID test to determine if we were positive,” she said. “They told me we were able to do that and to come in as soon as possible.”
She didn’t want to be identified but said she paid $90 for each test.
“They drew my blood and then did my daughter’s blood, as well,” she said. “I thought it was weird they drew blood but didn’t know if it was just a newer type of test.”
Within an hour she had the results.
“The nurse practitioner came back in and explained that we both tested negative for COVID-19.”
She also received two letters from Medcare, one that stated she tested negative for COVID19 and another with lab results stating she was negative for IGG and IGM.
“When I read those test results I was like ‘This isn’t correct. This is an antibody test. If I was positive for COVID right now I wouldn’t have antibodies yet.’”
Dr. Christine Schmotzer the chief of the division of clinical pathology for University Hospitals said antibodies show up, typically, anywhere from 10 to 14 days after you’re symptomatic with the virus.
“We have IGG and IGM that we can test,” she said. “That’s just another term for antibodies.”
She said people need to ask certain questions when they go to get a COVID19 test.
“The questions you should ask is ‘What type of test am I getting?’ Are you getting a nasal swab, that will actually diagnose whether you’re infected with coronavirus disease right now? Or are you getting a blood test that tests for antibodies, that would tell if you had coronavirus infection in the past,” said Schmotzer.
The Seven Hills mom and daughter duo got tested the very next day at a different clinic, their tests came back positive, but not before unknowingly spreading the virus.
“Because we tested negative I came to my parent's house. Obviously, my husband is positive, he’s at our house. So, I came to my house and my dad ended up getting sick with COVID, as well,” she said.
On MedCare Center’s website Wednesday afternoon it read:
“We now offer rapid testing for COVID-19! If you suspect that you have been exposed to coronavirus or are experiencing symptoms of coronavirus, let’s put your mind at ease with results in as little as 5 minutes.”
News 5 reached out for comment, but the owner of the practice did not want to go on camera or give a statement. She said the antibody test is a rapid test.
But shortly after, the clinic’s website changed the wording to say “We now offer rapid antibody testing for COVID-19! If you suspect that you have been exposed to coronavirus or are experiencing symptoms of coronavirus, let’s put your mind at ease with results in as little as 5 minutes.”
