COVID-19 Testing Services

PacGenomics offers Viral PCR Testing and Antibody Testing for Covid-19

Viral (PCR) Test

PacGenomics SARS-CoV-2 Nucleic Acid Test is a real-time RT-PCR test intended for the qualitative detection of nucleic acids from SARS-CoV-2 in nasopharyngeal and oropharyngeal swab samples from patients with possible SARS-CoV-2 infection. This test is performed to determine if you are actively infected with COVID-19.

For more information on this testing, click the links below.

Fact Sheet for Patients Fact Sheet for Providers

Antibody Testing

PacGenomics SARS-CoV-2 Antibody Test is intended for the qualitative detection and differentiation of IgM and IgG antibodies to SARS-CoV2 in human venous whole blood, plasma from anticoagulated blood, or serum. This testing is performed to determine if you have Covid-19 antibodies.

For more information on this testing, click the links below.

Fact Sheet for Patients Fact Sheet for Providers

Are you testing for a CURRENT infection, PAST infection, or for TRAVEL purposes?

Follow the selection menu to learn which test is best for your specific needs.

CURRENT infection

If you are testing for a current infection, the test you require is an RT-PCR test. The RT-PCR test is a type of nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) that detects the virus’ genetic material and is generally more accurate than other available types of Covid-19 tests.

What do your RT-PCR test results mean?

If you test positive for COVID-19, know what protective steps to take if you are sick, follow this link.
• Most people have mild COVID-19 illness and can recover at home without medical care.
If you test negative for COVID-19, you probably were not infected at the time your sample was collected. This does not mean you will not get sick:
• A negative test result only means that you did not have COVID-19 at the time of testing or that your sample was collected too early in your infection.
• You could also be exposed to COVID-19 after the test and then get infected and spread the virus to others.
• If you have symptoms later, you may need another test to determine if you are infected.

PAST infection

Antibody or serology tests if you had a past infection with the virus that causes COVID-19.

* Antibodies are created soon after you have been infected or vaccinated.
* Antibodies help you fight off infections and can protect you from getting that disease again

Types of Antibody Testing

Binding antibody detection:

The use – to detect individual antibody types, like IgG, IgM, and IgA.

IgM is most useful for determining recent infection as it usually becomes undetectable weeks to months following infection
IgG may remain detectable for months or years
IgA is important for mucosal immunity and can be detected in mucous secretions like saliva in addition to blood

Neutralizing antibody detection:

The use of neutralization tests for SARS-CoV-2 – to determine the functional ability of antibodies to prevent infection of virus in vitro.

Antibody tests should not be used to diagnose a current infection with the virus that causes COVID-19, except in instances in which viral testing is delayed. An antibody test may not show if you have a current infection because it can take 1–3 weeks after the infection for your body to make antibodies.

For more information on antibody testing and its use, visit the CDC website by clicking this link.

What do your antibody test results mean?

If you test positive

A positive test result shows you may have antibodies from an infection with the virus that causes COVID-19.
Having antibodies to the virus that causes COVID-19 may provide protection from getting infected with the virus again. But even if it does, we do not know how much protection the antibodies may provide or how long this protection may last.
Talk with your healthcare provider about your test result and the type of test you took to understand what your result means. Your provider may suggest you take a second type of antibody test to see if the first test was accurate.
You may test positive for antibodies even if you have never had symptoms of COVID-19. This can happen if you had an infection without symptoms, which is called asymptomatic infection.

If you test negative

You may not have ever had COVID-19.
You could have a current infection or been recently infected.
The test may be negative because it typically takes 1–3 weeks after infection for your body to make antibodies. This means you could still spread the virus.
Some people may take even longer to develop antibodies, and some people who are infected may not ever develop antibodies.
If you get symptoms after the antibody test, you might need another test called a viral test.

Visit the CDC website for more information on antibody testing.

Book COVID-19 Testing Appointment